My kids are big veggie lovers, but this hasn’t always been the case. I’ve written extensively on the topic of raising real food loving kids here – it’s a topic I’m super passionate about. I also have a whole chapter in my ebook ‘The Well Nourished Lunchbox’ about delicious ways to include vegetables in your kids diet (as well as over 50 sensational recipes including loads of savoury cracker options). Click HERE to find out more.
One thing I know for sure, is the more vegetables your kids eat, the more they will enjoy and be open to eating them. So when my kids were little and reluctant to eat a wide variety of veggies, I used to hide them in everything I cooked, including sweet and savoury baking (as well as presenting them in their whole form throughout the day and with every meal). You can read my thoughts on the benefits and pitfalls of ‘hiding’ veggies for picky eaters here.
I first made this cracker when my kids were teething (as a rusk of sorts). So I thought I’d re-invent it as a cracker my kids will enjoy now – and it’s safe to say they do! I love adding extra veggies anywhere I can and this cracker is really quick and easy to make. I hope you and yours enjoy it too.
Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit any specific dietary requirements.
If you’re looking to save money across pantry items such as nuts, seeds, flours and meals, I personally shop at The Wholefood Collective – great whole foods at heavily discounted prices (and home delivered), click HERE to take a look.
This is an easy to make, crunchy savoury cracker that the whole family will love.
- 60 grams (¼ cup) water
- 50 grams (2 large handfuls) baby spinach
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar, (I used coconut sugar)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules or powder, optional (I've also used a clove of garlic processed with the spinach)
- 200 grams (1¾ cups approx.) wholemeal or wholegrain spelt flour (see below for GF)
- Pre heat the oven to 180℃.
In a high speed blender mix the water and spinach, scraping the sides until pureed. Thermomix 1 minute, speed 5 (you will need to scrape the sides quite a few times).
Add the olive oil, sea salt, sugar and baking powder and mix together until combined. Thermomix 20 seconds, speed 4.
Add the flour and mix until a dough the consistency of play-doh forms (so it holds together but doesn't stick to your hands). You may need to adjust the amount of flour or water slightly to achieve the right consistency (especially with the GF variation below).
Form into a rough disc, place between two sheets of parchment paper and roll until VERY thin (1-2mm). If they aren't thin enough they won't crisp up so keep rolling until the dough stops expanding. Remove the top piece of parchment and cut the dough with a pizza cutter or plastic ruler (my new way to get the squares nice and even).
Lift this carefully onto a baking tray.
Bake for 20-25 minutes. I find the outside rows cook quicker than the inside squares so I often take it from the oven at 20-25 minutes, remove the outer rows and return the middle crackers which are still not crisp enough to the oven for 5 minutes or until they are dry and crunchy.
In an airtight container. They can also be frozen and packed into the lunchbox (from frozen).
Gluten or grain-free
I've recipe tested these crackers with both gluten-free and paleo flours (both are also nut-free) that I bought from The Whole Food Collective (here). I found these needed extra time in the oven to crisp up.
Beetroot (pink crackers)
Replace the spinach with 50g of raw beetroot (about half a small beetroot), peeled and diced. This makes for little pink crackers.
Garlic and sesame-free
Simply omit from the recipe.
I'd love to hear how you enjoyed these - post your feedback in the comments below.
Natalie says
Hi, these sound great! Do they remain crunchy after freezing?
Georgia Harding says
Hi Natalie. Obviously fresh is always best with any baking, but even after freezing they are pretty crisp (my kids don’t complain anyway) G x
Amy says
Georgia! Making these now, but you’ve listed 60g (half cup) water as your first ingredient. Do you mean 1/4 cup water instead?
Georgia Harding says
Eeeek – sorry, typo! I tested in in half batches so obviously got confused. Just corrected it, thanks for pointing it out Amy G x
Annie says
G, it mentions after cutting to just lift baking paper and put on baking tray. Does that mean you don’t need to seperate the crackers apart? Excited to try these this week. Thanks
Georgia Harding says
Hi Annie – yes that’s right. Once they are cooked and crisp they will just break apart along the scored lines (even if not fully cut through they break apart). Enjoy G x
Anu says
Hi G, just baked the crackers with beet. Mine were little salty and I used same amount of himalayan salt. Could that be the reason?
Georgia Harding says
Hi Anu. It’s so funny you say that as I bought a new brand of himalayan sea salt a few weeks ago and it was super strong in taste (I usually use Maldon sea salt). I was over seasoning everything I cooked until I worked out that it was way saltier than the Maldon! So yes, you must have a stronger salt so use less for sure G x
Linda says
Great. Thanks for sharing
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claudia says
I made these crackers and my children both enjoyed them (although I think they would have been better if I rolled them a bit thinner). I used beetroot but the crackers came out brown, not pink as I was hoping. Would you know why?
Georgia Harding says
Hi Claudia, yes they are best when they are filled thin for sure. I really don’t know why yours would have gone brown – as you can see mine are always the colour in the photo. Maybe an oldish beetroot (just guessing). G x
Lauren says
does this have to be done with spelt flour? or would a normal wholemeal flour work just as well?
Georgia Harding says
You can certainly swap the spelt for regular wholemeal if you like Lauren, enjoy Georgia x