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.
Veggie Crackers
Ingredients
- 60 ml water (¼ cup)
- 50 g baby spinach (2 large handfuls)
- 1 tbsp olive oil -extra virgin
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or rapadura
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds -optional
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast -optional
- 1 tsp garlic granules -or powder, optional (I've also used a clove of garlic processed with the spinach too)
- 200 g wholemeal spelt flour (1¾ cups approx.) see below for GF
Method
- Pre heat the oven to 180℃/350℉.
- 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, baking powder (and any optional ingredients) 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).
- IMPORTANT - All whole flours are slightly different in the rate they absorb water. This is the reason white (highly refined flours) are used in processed foods because they bring consistent results. So you may need to adjust the amount of flour (or water) slightly to achieve the right consistency as described above (especially with the GF variation below).
- Form into a rough disc, place between two sheets of baking paper (or silicone sheets). I use 'If you Care' brand of baking paper, it's very non stick and can even be reused (it's that good).
- 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.
Store
- In an airtight container. They can also be frozen and packed into the lunchbox (from frozen).
Variations
Gluten or grain-free
I've recipe tested these crackers with both gluten-free and paleo flours (both are also nut-free). 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
https://coolkitchenutensils.com
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
Lucy BB says
We made theses this afternoon and my daughter (14 months) devoured them and my husband loved them too! Thank you so much ?
Lucy x
Georgia Harding says
SO glad your bubba and hubby enjoyed them Lucy G x
Tamara says
Hi, thanks for sharing! I NEVER have coconut sugar/rapadura (and forget to get it just as often ?), at a pinch could you use normal or raw granulated sugar?
Thanks
Georgia Harding says
Yes, absolutely but brown sugar would be best (not as gritty as raw sugar), enjoy G x
Laura says
So far so good and they are in the oven but on what point do you put the optional stuff like garlic etc in?
Either I am blind or it doesn’t say in the instructions.
Thanks for sharing am looking forward to trying these.
Georgia Harding says
At stage 3, but anytime will work out just fine. Hope you enjoyed them Laura G x
Emma says
I made the beetroot ones. I wasn’t sure if my kids would really like them but I was wrong! They LOVED them! I really wanted to find a healthy alternative to store bought chips. And the recipe made so many they have lasted almost a week so very cost effective too! So glad I found your recipe! Thank you!
Georgia Harding says
Oh yay!! Thrilled they enjoyed them. Cheers for commenting and rating the recipe too, Georgia x
Monica says
Hi,
What age would you suggest these for?
I am looking for alternatives for my 9 month old son who lives on those rice baby biscuits
Thanks
Georgia Harding says
As long as you’ve introduced the ingredients to him (as part of solids introduction), they are completely fine and nourishing. G x
Jo says
When u say u have used paleo flours, what would u suggest is best please, ie coconut, buckwheat etc? I know some flours like coconut require more liquid, so im assuming might not b a straight ingredient swap??
Georgia Harding says
It’s a really great premix that I buy from the Wholefood Collective (linked in the post). It works really well as a straight swap. G x
Bree Mason says
Hi,
I have oat flour hanging around and want to try with this recipe. Would it work ok? Should I adjust the amount of water to more or less?
Thank you!
Georgia Harding says
Hey Bree, I haven’t tested with oat flour but it should be fine, try with 1:1 replacement and just adjust the dough from there G x
liv Stevens says
so easy and loved how nutritious they are- i ran out of whole spelt so made the remaining 3/4 cup up with rye flour and seemed to work out alright! will definitely make them again!
Georgia Harding says
So glad you enjoyed them Liv G x
Shannon R says
Hi there,
Looking forward to making these for my son! Two questions:
Could I use regular whole wheat flour in place of Spelt flour? Also, maybe a stupid question but is raw beetroot just the same as a red beet? Haha my mind goes to weird places when it’s not called what I’m used to, I started thinking of the stems 😂
Well Nourished Team says
Hi Shannon, you can most definitely use regular whole wheat flour for these. I believe beetroot and red beet are similar (you are just looking for that lovely natural red colouring from the beet (not the stem) 😊