Cheddar Almond Crackers / Grain free crust

This is a remarkably fast, easy and versatile recipe using cheddar cheese and almond flour. You can make grain free crust (for pizza or savory pies), crackers, & biscuits.

The first time, I used Bob’s Red Mill almond flour and a sharp yellow cheddar. I rolled the dough into a flat, compressed sheet, and got a Cheezit-style cracker.

The second time, I tried a coarser almond meal (from Know Thy Food’s bulk bin) and a mild cheese. I threw in some rosemary, and didn’t roll them as heavily, and they made sort of a cross between a cracker and rustic biscuit. I found an identical recipe online that called for dropping fluffy dough balls onto a cookie sheet to make biscuits reminiscent of Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay Death Traps… but of course a much healthier version. I need to try that!

 

grain free crust and crackers

Rustic rosemary crackers: These were so stupendously satisfying and filling we dubbed them “Lembas Bread.”

These are by no means low-calorie, but they are higher in protein than regular crackers and are fine for the occasional indulgence. I plan to use this recipe for a savory grain free crust when I make beef & spinach pies for LARP this weekend. Come back for an update on how that went next week!

Cheese Crackers with Almond Flour (Gluten Free)
Modified from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elena Amsterdam. This recipe is half the amount in the book, so double it and make the full recipe if you prefer.

1 1/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese, lightly packed into measuring cup
1 1/2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350F/175C.
In a medium-sized bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda and cheese. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg and oil. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until well-combined.

For crackers: Cut two pieces of parchment paper the size of your baking sheet. Put one piece of parchment on cutting board and put dough on top. Put the second piece of parchment on top of the dough and roll out with rolling pin (or wine bottle!) until dough covers the parchment sheet. Roll it out the same thickness or the thinner pieces will burn.
Remove top parchment and cut dough into pieces 2 inches square. A pizza cutter works beautifully for this if you have one.
Slide the parchment with the cut dough onto baking sheet and bake crackers 12-15
minutes, or until lightly browned.
Let crackers cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.

For biscuits: Butter your cookie sheet, or use a sheet of parchment paper. Drop small clumps of dough, about the size of a golf ball. Do not press or form them – let them stay fluffy and uneven.

Come up with alternate ways to use / modify this recipe? Let me know!

UPDATE 4/22/13: The meat pies were a hit! The insides were Vidalia onion, grass-fed beef, kale, fresh herb mix from Freddies, egg (3 for 2 pies), garlic, tumeric, salt, and pepper. I meant to add cubed carrots or parsnips, but I forgot.

"Adventurer Pie" with a grain free crust

“Adventurer Pie” with a grain free crust!

UPDATE 7/26/13: I have been using same recipe for a grain free crust for pizza. A double batch of the crust is the right amount to cover a cookie sheet. I use a second layer of parchment paper and a can of beans as a rolling pin to get it the same thickness all over. Top it with pesto sauce (no nightshades for me), salami, and cheese. Or try chicken, spinach, and mushrooms! Yum!!

3 thoughts on “Cheddar Almond Crackers / Grain free crust

  1. Mine came out between a cracker and muffin. I didnt want to roll it too thin and have it burn. Next time will make it thinner. It was still good and I ate with soup

    • You can flatten them thin, you just have to have the whole sheet the SAME thin-ness. :) What kind of soup? Enquiring mouths want to know!

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