These gourmet fruit and nut crackers are packed with dried fruit and nuts, but are still super crispy and crunchy. They're the perfect addition to any charcuterie board or for snacking!
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If you've ever seen the price tag on those fancy crackers at the store, then you'll know they're super expensive and you only get a few crackers per box. That's why these crackers are absolutely worth the effort!
Flour, fruit, nuts, and spices are mixed together and then baked as a loaf, then frozen and sliced into crackers, which are baked until crispy and delicious.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Better (and cheaper) than store bought: These crackers are just as good or better than the similar crackers you can buy in the store, except they're a lot less expensive to make from scratch. This recipe makes about 50 crackers, which is 3-4x more than what you get from the store-bought version. You can also customize with any dried fruits, nuts/seed and herbs that you already have on hand!
- Packed with fruits and nuts, but still crispy: These crackers are really special because they stay crispy despite being packed full of ingredients.
- Fun & impressive recipe: There's a bit of waiting involved, but this is a really fun recipe that we enjoy making - you bake two loaves of bread, then freeze and slice it into crackers, and then bake again. The end result is so worth it! You can also keep loaves stashed in the freezer so you can slice and bake whenever you need a batch. Your guests will be so impressed!
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make these gourmet fruit and nut crackers:
Ingredient Notes
- Fruits: You can use whatever dried fruits you like, just make sure to use the same total quantity (¾ cups) of dried fruit. We used dried figs and apricots in our version. Other options include: dates, raisins, cranberries, cherries, prunes, etc.
- Nuts: We used pistachios and pumpkin seeds, but you can use whatever nuts or seeds you prefer, just be sure to use ¾ cups total. Other options include: almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, hazelnuts, etc.
- Herbs: We used fresh thyme and rosemary, but you can use your favorite fresh herbs. You can also use dried herbs (use 1 teaspoon).
- All purpose and whole wheat flour: We used a 50/50 mix of the two, and the whole wheat flour gives these crackers a distinct color and flavor. You can of course just use all purpose flour if you don't have any whole wheat.
- Baking soda: Be sure to use baking soda, not baking powder in this recipe.
- Spices: We like to add cinnamon, nutmeg and black pepper to these crackers, which pairs beautifully with the dried fruit and nuts. However, feel free to play around with seasonings depending on your preferred flavor.
- Milk: Any kind of milk will work in this recipe. We typically use oat milk to keep them dairy free.
- Honey: These fruit and nut crackers taste best with a little bit of sweetness. You can also use agave or maple syrup.
Step-by-step Instructions
PREP: Preheat oven to 350˚F and line two mini loaf pans (~5 ½” x 3 ¼”) or one regular loaf pan (~8 ½” x 4 ½”) with parchment paper.
STEP 1: Add both flours, baking soda, salt, herbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, dried fruit, nuts and zest to a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Stir in the milk and honey until well combined and no streaks of honey remain.
STEP 2: Divide between the 2 mini pans (or just the 1 regular loaf pan). Bake for ~25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
STEP 3: Let cool to room temperature, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight. (You can also leave them frozen for up to 3 months, as long as they are tightly wrapped.)
STEP 4: Remove from the freezer and preheat oven to 300˚F. Use a serrated knife to slice into ⅛” thick slices. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
STEP 5: Bake for 12 minutes, then flip each cracker over. Bake for another 12 minutes, then check for doneness. They should be golden brown and feel dry to the touch, but they may still look soft due to the fruit. Don’t worry - they will crisp up as they dry! If they’re not quite golden brown, flip and leave in the oven for another 3-6 minutes.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Loaf pan size: We used two of these mini loaf pans for this recipe. The size is about 5 ½ inch x 3 ¼ inch. You can also use one standard size loaf pan (~8 ½” x 4 ½”), but if you do, the crackers will be much longer and shorter. This may also change the cook time.
- Bake time: When you're baking these in loaf pans, use a toothpick to test doneness. If it comes out clean, you're ready to go.
- Second bake: You'll know your second bake is done when the crackers turn a nice brown color - almost like the rye chips in a package of Chex mix. They'll be slightly crispy, and will harden up even more as they cool.
- Use a serrated knife to slice the frozen loaf into about ⅛" slices.
- Freeze and bake later: You can bake several loaves of these and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for later. If stored properly, they will last for a few months in the freezer. When you're ready to bake, simply remove from the freezer, slice and bake.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a few days. If they start to get soft from the dried fruit, you can always pop them back in the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up. Note that dried fruit with higher moisture content (like apricots or figs) will make these go soft faster than fruit like dried cranberries.
Without freezing them, it's very difficult to slice them into thin, evenly-sized slices. It's also much more difficult to cut through the dried fruit if the loaf isn't frozen.
You can use all purpose flour or almond flour instead of whole wheat flour.
Though we haven't tested it, you can use a 1-to-1 gluten free flour as a substitute.
Related Recipes
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Recipe
Print📖 Recipe
Fruit and Nut Crackers
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 52 crackers
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These gourmet fruit and nut crackers are packed with dried fruit and nuts, but are still super crispy and crunchy. They're the perfect addition to any charcuterie board or for snacking!
Ingredients
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup dried fruit, chopped (apricots, figs, dates, raisins, cherries, etc)
- ¾ cup nuts or seeds, chopped (pecans, pumpkin seeds, pistachios, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds etc)
- 1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest
- 1 cup milk of choice (we used oat milk, but any kind works)
- ¼ cup honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F and line two mini loaf pans (~5 ½” x 3 ¼”) with parchment paper.
- Add both flours, baking soda, salt, herbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, dried fruit, nuts and zest to a large mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Stir in the milk and honey until well combined and no streaks of honey remain.
- Divide between the 2 mini pans. Bake for ~25-28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Let cool to room temperature, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight. (You can also leave them frozen for up to 3 months, as long as they are tightly wrapped.)
- Preheat oven to 300˚F.
- Remove from the freezer and use a serrated knife to slice into ⅛” thick slices. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 12 minutes, then flip each cracker over. Bake for another 12 minutes, then check for doneness. If they aren't quite done, flip again and cook for another 3-8 minutes. They should be golden brown and feel dry to the touch, but they may still look soft due to the fruit. Don’t worry - they will crisp up as they dry! See storage information below.
Notes
Loaf pan size: We used two of these mini loaf pans for this recipe. The size is about 5 ½ inch x 3 ¼ inch. You can also use one standard size loaf pan (~8 ½” x 4 ½”), but if you do, the crackers will be much longer and shorter. This may also change the cook time.
Bake time: When you're baking these in loaf pans, use a toothpick to test doneness. If it comes out clean, you're ready to go.
Second bake: You'll know your second bake is done when the crackers turn a nice brown color - almost like the rye chips in a package of Chex mix. They'll be slightly crispy, and will harden up even more as they cool.
Use a serrated knife to slice the frozen loaf into about ⅛" slices.
Freeze and bake later: You can bake several loaves of these and then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for later. If stored properly, they will last for a few months in the freezer. When you're ready to bake, simply remove from the freezer, slice and bake.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a few days. If they start to get soft from the dried fruit, you can always pop them back in the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up. Note that dried fruit with higher moisture content (like apricots or figs) will make these go soft faster than fruit like dried cranberries.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 crackers
- Calories: 126
- Sugar: 10.7 g
- Sodium: 249.3 mg
- Fat: 4.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 20.1 g
- Fiber: 2.3 g
- Protein: 2.7 g
Lynn says
I am definitely goingvto bake these as both myself and friends love these bics ,thankyou so very much ,I am going to enjoy viewing and trying future recipes 😊 👌
G says
Is it possible (if you've tried) to use a mandolin to slice them very thin? Or do you have to use a serrated blade?
Una Walker says
Just made these! I used dried cranberries, apricots, almonds and walnuts. Delicious!
Amina says
Amazing recipe! I knew I had to try these when I saw it on Instagram and they are an absolute hit! I used my 8.5” loaf pan instead of two minis and cook time was about 28 mins, so spot on as you said. And I used chopped apricots and cranberries for fruits, and combined with sunflower seeds, flax seeds and walnuts. They are an absolute treat! Thank you!
Heather says
These are amazing - served them at my annual gift party supporting our local women’s shelter. Everyone was so impressed that I made them. Thanks for the recipe- I will be making them again and again!
Monica M says
It was a hit! I didn’t add dried fruits and only used all purpose flour because I made it with what I had on hand, but they still turned out awesome. I used 4 mini loaf pans, each about 2 ½” x 4”. I’ll definitely keep experimenting with different add-ins, but it’s nice to know that even a “simple” version tastes great. (Pair it with a cream cheese ball with guava jam, honey and walnuts)
Lexi says
So glad to hear you enjoyed!
Linda Solka says
I haven’t made yet. Gathering my ingredients. Are the nuts salted?
Lexi says
We use unsalted here.
Linda Solka says
I used unsalted
Thula says
How can you serve these?
Lexi says
We like to serve them on a charcuterie/cheese board!
Jenny says
Could I use gluten free flour? If so, any recommended changes?
Lexi says
I have not personally tried them with gluten free flour so I'm not sure! A few people have tried it and said it works
Miriam says
I will for sure make them again in a bigger batch and keep them in the freezer for Thanksgiving and Christmas! However, next time, with less salt:). Thanks!
CAROL ENGLEHAUPT says
Just took these out of the oven and feel they have too much cinnamon. I am planning on topping with cheese and I want them to be a savory cracker. I will try to tone it down with a goat or triple cheese and top with chestnut honey.
Maybe I should just switch out with rosemary?
Easy to make. Worth playing with unless you have recommendations to make savory vs sweet.
Megan says
Great recipe and so much cheaper than the ones you get from the supermarket, also you can control what you put in them, thank you ☺️
Margaret Arason says
Thank you! These are excellent and so easy to make. They turned out exactly like the expensive crackers that I often buy. The added bonus is that my partner is allergic to nuts, so now I can make a variety of these crackers with different seeds and dried fruits, and omit the nuts!
Robynne Chapman says
So delicious! Will make again and again! Followed recipe to a t.
Freya says
Easy and tastes like the real deal, thanks!
Lexi says
Thank you so much, so glad to hear that!
Kirsten says
Can these be made with Gluten Free flour?
Lexi says
I haven't personally tried it, but others have and said they work well!
Alexandra says
Great recipe, easy to make and with most ingredients already in my pantry. The trick to freeze the cakes before slicing them with a serrated knife was brilliant. I had to bake them longer to crisp up but I did substitute honey with agave syrup so that might have been it. The flavor is amazing, I have eaten half of them while waiting for them to cool off.