These crackers are so crisp and delicious! They are totally worth the extra effort it takes to make them from scratch with love!
They look and taste a lot like Wheat Thins (thus the name). But unlike their namesake, just one look at the ingredients and you will know why these are so much better for you!
Serving Suggestions: We’re slightly coo-coo for crackers, but as much as we love these little squares of crispy goodness on their own, they’re even better when paired with other wholesome ingredients. Here are just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:
• Top with raw cheese and apple slices
• Top with a healthy spread like veggie confetti spread, homemade hummus, your favorite nut butter, etc.
• Top with tuna or chicken salad
• Use them as an edible spoon to scoop up your favorite homemade dips like guacamole, salsa, etc.
• Add them to your favorite homemade snack mix! (Simple snack mix: In a small dish combine crackers with your favorite crispy nuts and dried fruits)
• What’s your favorite way to eat crackers? … Please post a comment and share your ideas too!
Spelt-Thins Photo Tutorial:
1. Using your hands, knead the mixture to incorporate all of the flour into the dough until it forms a ball. (For easy clean-up, you can knead the dough right in the bowl.) Cover the bowl and place it in a warm area of your kitchen for 12 hours. If you’re new to soaking, please check out “How to Soak Grains for Optimal Nutrition.”
2. After soaking time is complete, form dough into a large disk and place on countertop. Sprinkle baking soda and salt evenly across top of flattened dough. Fold dough and knead to incorporate salt and baking soda.
3. Divide dough into four equal portions, shape into dough balls and leave in bowl.
4. Follow tips in recipe below for rolling your dough out as thinly as possible – the secret to crispy crackers!
Time-Saving Tip: You can roll the dough out directly onto the parchment paper and trim out, as shown above.
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups organic whole spelt flour
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp pure honey (I prefer sage honey due to its mild flavor)
- 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add all of the above ingredients, except the spelt flour. Whisk well to combine.
- Then, add the spelt flour, and using a fork, start mixing together until dough gets stiff.
- Next, using your hands, knead the mixture to incorporate all of the flour into the dough until it forms a ball. (For easy clean-up, you can knead the dough right in the bowl.)
- Cover the bowl and place it in a warm area of your kitchen for 12 hours.
- After soaking time is complete, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Using your hands, shape dough ball into a large disk and place on countertop.
- Sprinkle baking soda and salt evenly across top of flattened dough.
- Fold dough and knead to incorporate salt and baking soda.
- Divide dough into four equal portions, shape into dough balls and leave in bowl.
- Lightly and evenly dust your countertop with spelt flour.
- Place one of the dough balls on flour-dusted countertop and flatten with hand.
- Lightly dust top of flattened dough with spelt flour.
- Roll out dough until it is very thin and as even as possible. The thinner you roll it out, the more crisp and crunchy your crackers will be. I find it very helpful to flip the dough once or twice at the beginning of rolling it out making sure to lightly dust the top with flour before flipping the dough over.
- Another trick is to roll the dough from the center outward, so the middle isn’t thinker than the ends.
- You can save time by rolling the dough out directly onto parchment paper. Just lightly flour the parchment paper and the top of the dough. Then roll out until you get the dough as thin as possible.
- Once the dough is rolled out thinly, trim it into a large rectangle and set scraps aside.
- Then, cut the large rectangle of dough into squares using a pizza cutter, or sharp knife. (I like to make 3x3-inch crackers, because we like to put extra goodies on top of them or use them as edible spoons for our favorite dips – see ideas below.)
- Prick each cracker with a fork and lightly sprinkle with fine-ground sea salt.
- If you rolled the dough out on your countertop, transfer the individual squares to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- If you rolled out the dough directly on parchment paper, then simply place the parchment onto a baking sheet and place in oven.
- Bake about 6-8 minutes, making sure to keep an eye on the crackers since the cook time really depends on the temp of your oven.
- They are done when they are browning slightly around edges. (Encouragement: It may take you a couple of trays of crackers to get the baking timing down. Don’t give up, these crackers are worth the practice to figure out the right bake time for your oven.)
- Allow crackers to cool completely on baking sheet, as they will crisp up a bit more as they cool.
- Store crackers in a glass jar with tight fitting lid, or place in a freezer-safe container and freeze. Crackers keep about 5-6 days in the pantry or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
This recipe was inspired by a “wheat thins” recipe by Katie at Kitchen Stewardship. Since wheat thins were one of my all-time favorites (back in my pre-real food days), I decided to recreate the recipe using whole spelt instead, since it’s our whole grain flour of choice.
Why whole spelt? I prefer whole spelt over whole wheat for a couple of reasons. Mainly because I can tolerate spelt better than wheat and also, I find that spelt has a lighter taste and texture than whole wheat.
Whole spelt does contain gluten, so it’s not a good choice for those with gluten-related allergies or sensitivities. For more about whole spelt, click here.
These look pretty yummy! I’ve NEVER cooked with spelt before… but someone gave some to me years *ahem* ago… how long can spelt be stored? Or should I throw this out and buy fresh? Thanks! We are just starting baby steps to a less processed diet 🙂
If you’re serious about the “years” part, I would say definitely toss and start fresh. I wouldn’t recommend keeping flour (even in your freezer for more than 6-8 months. And congrats to you for starting the real food journey! I hope you find this site helpful to you! Many blessings, Kelly
I just made these and they are so good! My two year old happily ate them up. I may have to double this next time. I noticed that you use spelt flour in a lot of your recipes. I had bought some to make your gotta love chocolate chip cookies (which are great also!) but I’m just wondering why spelt instead of wheat flour. Do you use wheat at all or is it not good to use? Thanks for the great recipes. We are also fairly new to this way of eating. Loving the new blog!
So glad you enjoyed the spelt thins and chocolate chip cookies. I don’t use wheat because I don’t do well with wheat (even soaked). If you do opt to use wheat, be sure it’s organic and remember to soak it. Personally, I prefer the taste of spelt, it’s much lighter (not as dense) in taste as whole wheat. In addition, there is research that shows it may be a healthier option than whole wheat. ut again, I am not “against” organic whole wheat – if you’re doing fine with it and your family enjoys it, no need to convert all your whole wheat recipes to spelt, unless you decide you like spelt better. Here’s an article that you mind find interesting … http://www.naturalnews.com/025929_spelt_wheat_WHO.html
Thanks so much! So you can substitute wheat for spelt in the recipes you post? It works out in the recipes? We have not enjoyed spelt, or the price for us, and we have a whole bunch of wheat as we get that in bulk and I am a firm believer in ‘use what you have’ 🙂 Loved the recipes on your site I have seen so far! Thanks again!
Hi, Kara! Definitely use what you have. I’m all about “waste not, want not!” 🙂 Yes, for the most part, you can sub whole wheat cup-for-cup for any of the recipes that call for whole spelt. The flavor, texture may be heavier, but if you’re used to whole wheat, it should be fine. Many blessings, Kelly 🙂
Recipe looks like a keeper!! Could you tell me if the the quantity of flour used is freshly ground? I find that I usually have to add 25% more flour to all my recipes if it is not ground. Thank you!
I use Honeyville’s blanched almond flour. It is the finest grind I’ve found. For more about why I use Honeyville, check out this article: http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/05/test-kitchen-showdown-battle-of-the-blanched-almond-flours/
Blessings, Kelly 🙂
I too have found that one of my sons and I tolerate spelt better than wheat, so I was excited to find your website with spelt recipes! Thank you for sharing. I wondered where you recommend purchasing spelt. Obviously it will be different based on regions (I am in Boston). I have found one local company that is slightly cheaper than Whole Foods, but not much and a 25lb bag was about $75. Just wondering if there is a cheaper place I should be looking at… Thanks again!
Hi, Ashley. If you can locate a food co-op in your area, these are often the best sources for great prices. Otherwise, keep doing what you’re doing in buying in bulk, as bulk prices are almost always less per pound than purchasing smaller bags. I would recommend though, when it comes to grains, to buy spelt berries in bulk and grind them for the freshest flour. Of course, if you don’t have a grinder, that would be an investment to make, but in the long run, freshly ground flour is much more nutritious. I use a grain grinder attachment with my VitaMix, but actual grain mills will grind even finer. Just wanted to let you know. Of course, it’s all about baby steps and staying on budget! 🙂
Just wondering what I can use instead of honey for the sweetener to make it more THM style? Any suggestions?
Hi, Lisa. You could use a small amount of any sweetener you choose, or omit using a sweetener entirely. The honey is not an essential ingredient, it just gives a slight sweetness that is similar to the flavor of wheat thins. Blessings, Kelly 🙂
Why do you not add the baking soda and salt at the same time as the flour?
Hi, Kelly. Rising ingredients like baking soda and baking powder must be added after the soaking time in order to be effective. If you’re not soaking overnight, you can of course add them at the time you prepare the recipe. Blessings, Kelly 🙂
Hi Kelly,
I am learning how to bake with spelt and am glad to have found your recipe. Just a couple of questions: I noticed you use apple cider vinegar. I came across another recipe for baking and it too said to use this. Is there any particular benefit to use this with spelt? Also, is it necessary to use baking soda. I looked at a whole wheat cracker recipe and they don’t add it. Again, does it have to do with using spelt?
Thank you,
Sam
Hi, Sam. First, welcome to The Nourishing Home and best wishes to you as you start your healthy real food journey!
To answer your questions … The ACV is used as an acid medium for the benefit of the soak, so it’s not particular to spelt flour but any flour that you’d like to soak first. You can read more about the health benefits of soaking grains here:
http://thenourishinghome.com/2012/03/how-to-soak-grains-for-optimal-nutrition/
As far as baking soda, again, it’s not a spelt flour requirement, but helps the crackers to rise a bit and improves the texture, that’s why I use it in this cracker recipe. Even if you substitute with wheat flour, I would recommend keeping it.
The main consideration with spelt is that it tends to have a crumblier texture since the gluten make-up is different than traditional wheat and the grain itself is higher in protein as well. So, I find with bread recipes it’s better to combine it with another flour – I prefer Kamut (another ancient grain that is not hybrid like wheat and is also higher in nutrients and protein). You’ll find several of my spelt recipes on this site to be a spelt-kamut blends, such as my power pancakes and power muffins for example.
Hope this helps! Lots of blessings, Kelly 🙂
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for the reply. A question about making bread and using another flour, such as kamut as you mentioned. By adding another flour, will it make the spelt bread less crumbly? Does it mean it is good to use a flour that has gluten in it? Just curious, as I made whole spelt bread and it did have a crumbly texture. I want to get that soft and together texture like sandwich bread. Any ideas?
Thanks,
Sam
Hi, Sam. Yes, that’s what I meant – that combining another gluten-based flour (such as Kamut) with spelt helps to ease the crumbly nature of spelt. I am now gluten-free, but have kept all my gluten-based recipes on the site for those who are not gluten sensitive, as well as have kept all my info up on how to soak grains, etc. When I first started my real food journey all of these methods, moving toward soaking grains and focusing on slowly eliminating processed foods really helped me to heal. However, a couple of years ago, I began to get some very unusual and difficult symptoms and later came to find that I am gluten sensitive. But I didn’t want to eliminate all the recipes I had worked so hard to develop and that others seem to really enjoy. Just thought I’d explain as I know this can be confusing. I’d recommend checking out some other great sites like GNOWFGLINS for bread making using gluten-based flours. Wardee at GNOWFGLINS is a real expert on sourdough bread making, which is by far one of the healthiest breads you can make. Blessings, Kelly
I just tried Einkorn and they turned out too flaky.
I haven’t worked with Einkorn. So I appreciate you sharing this isn’t a good substitution. I know what a disappointment it is to go to all the trouble of trying to tweak a recipe only to find it doesn’t work out. But that’s how new recipes are born. So hang in there as you may find a way yet to make a great Einkorn flour cracker. 🙂 Blessings, Kelly
Delicious! Used coconut oil in place of butter. My 3-year-old and I loved them! Next time I will sprinkle a bit more sea salt, and work on making thinner crackers. The crispy ones are best!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed them. Thanks for taking the time to leave a kind note! Blessings, Kelly 🙂
I know all ovens are different temp wise but what temperature did you bake the crackers at?
Thanks!!
Hi, Dawn. The baking temperature is 375. It’s kind of hard to find in there with all those steps. 🙂 Hope you enjoy these! They really do taste quite similar to their namesake! Blessings, Kelly 🙂
Maybe if anyone has access to a pasta maker – it might be easier to roll it to the desired thickness. I made homemade crackers only once because the rolling out was too time consuming – while the product was delicious, it took pretty much all afternoon to make it happen and I only got a small amount. I’m getting a pasta maker and I’m happy that crackers might be more practical to make now.
L
That’s a great idea, L. Thank you for sharing! 🙂
Our family absolutely loves these! My husband says they are the best he s ever had which is saying something! A question though – does the butter (dairy) inhibit the soaking process? I’ve researched a lot lately about soaking grains and they seem to indicate that a dairy medium doesn’t so much to break down anti nutrients due to the calcium. I wonder if I used coconut oil in its place if that would work?
Hi, Renee. So glad these are hubby-approved. That is always important! 🙂 And yes, I have read that too, but it applies more to dairy as the soaking medium (i.e. soaking with yogurt or buttermilk) and this recipe utilizes ACV as the acid medium rather than a dairy medium. I personally wouldn’t worry too much about butter as its calcium content is so low (3mg per tbsp as opposed to 28g per tbsp for yogurt). However, if it’s of concern, you can certainly add the butter after the soak is complete, or use coconut oil in place of the butter. Just note that the coconut oil will add a coconut flavor to the crackers. Hope this helps. And thank you for your kind words! Blessings, Kelly 🙂
Just wondering if I could use rye or buckwheat flour as a sub for the spelt flour? Great blog by the way…absolutely love it! Thank you for all the hard work you do ! God bless!
Hi, Chantelle. Appreciate your kind words. I haven’t tried these with those flours, so you may need to see how it goes. If the dough is too tacky, add a bit more flour. They should roll out nicely without being sticky. Let us know how it turns out with your substitution. 🙂