These gourmet fruit and nut crackers are one of the most popular recipes in our Better Than Store-Bought series, and for good reason. They're packed with dried figs, apricots, pistachios and pumpkin seeds, but they bake up thin, crispy and crunchy, just like the fancy ones from the store that cost more per box than the cheese you put on them. Bake a quick bread, freeze it, slice it thin, then bake the slices again until crisp. Extra loaves keep in the freezer, so a fresh batch for the cheese board is never more than 30 minutes away!
Skip the $9 box. Make copycat Raincoast Crisps at home!
If you've ever picked up a box of those fancy fruit and nut crackers at the store (read: Raincoat Crisps), you're probably familiar with the high price tag. We love them, we just don't love paying for them. So we figured out how to make them at home, and this recipe makes about 50 crackers with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
The trick is a double bake, the same idea as biscotti. You bake a lightly sweetened quick bread full of fruit, nuts, seeds and herbs, freeze it, slice it thin, then bake the slices again until they're dry and crunchy. That second bake is what keeps them crispy even with all that fruit inside.
This recipe has been on our site since 2024 and even made it into our debut cookbook! These are the perfect sweet-savory cracker for a cheese board, alongside brie, goat cheese, blue cheese or a sharp aged cheddar.
We put them out with our sweet & savory rosemary roasted nuts and Christmas tree cheese ball every December, and they also make a lovely edible holiday gift.
xoxo, Lexi & Beth
Key Ingredients Needed for Fruit and Nut Crackers
- Dried fruit: We used figs and apricots. Any combination works (dates, raisins, cranberries, cherries, prunes), just keep the total at ¾ cup and chop everything small, about the size of a raisin. Big chunks tear when you slice the frozen loaf.
- Nuts or seeds: We like pistachios and pumpkin seeds in ours. Almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds and flax all work, ¾ cup total, chopped finely like the fruit. Use unsalted nuts. For a nut-free version, use all seeds instead!
- Kosher salt: 1 ½ teaspoons of Diamond Crystal (our preferred salt). This matters: Diamond Crystal is about half as salty by volume as Morton kosher or table salt. If you're using Morton, use 1 teaspoon; for fine table salt, use ¾ teaspoon.
- All-purpose and whole wheat flour: A 50/50 mix. The whole wheat gives the crackers their deeper color and flavor. 100% all-purpose works if that's what you have.
- Honey: Maple syrup or agave work in the same amount. Readers who swapped in agave found the crackers took a few extra minutes to crisp.
- Milk: Any kind. We use oat milk to keep them dairy free for my mom!
- Fresh rosemary and thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, citrus zest: Warm spices plus a little pepper keep these from tipping into dessert territory. For a more savory cracker to go with sharp cheese, cut the cinnamon in half and add an extra teaspoon of rosemary.
How to Make Fruit and Nut Crackers
Note: This recipe uses two different oven temperatures: 350°F for the loaves and 300°F for the crackers. That's not a typo!
Mix the batter
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two mini loaf pans (about 5 ½ x 3 ¼ inches) with parchment. To a large bowl, add both flours, baking soda, salt, herbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, zest, chopped fruit and chopped nuts and stir until the fruit is coated in flour.
Stir in the milk and honey until no streaks of honey remain. The batter will be looser than muffin batter, loose enough to settle flat in the pan.
Bake the loaves
Divide the batter between the pans and bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Let the loaves cool completely in the pans.
Freeze the loaves
Wrap each cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours, or overnight. This is what makes thin slices possible, so don't skip it. The loaves keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Slice and bake again
Let the frozen loaf sit on the counter for about 10 minutes, and lower the oven to 300°F. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut slices about ⅛ inch thick and lay them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. If ⅛ inch keeps crumbling, go to ¼ inch and add a few minutes to the bake (more on this below).
Bake for 12 minutes, flip each slice, and bake another 12 minutes. They should be golden brown and feel dry to the touch, but may still look a little soft where the fruit is. Don't worry, they crisp up as they cool. If they're not golden yet, flip again and give them another 3 to 8 minutes; ovens vary and several readers needed the extra time. Cool on the pan.
Top Tips from the CK Test Kitchen!
- Test a few slices first. Before you slice the whole loaf, cut three or four, bake them, and see how the thickness works in your oven. A reader's tip, and a very helpful one! Every oven is different.
- Pan options: We use two of these mini loaf pans, about 5 ½ x 3 ¼ inches. One standard 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan works with about the same bake time – the crackers will just be longer and flatter. Readers have also used four 2 ½ x 4 inch mini pans, a small Pullman pan (great for even slices) and a bundt pan. An 8x8 pan will not work, the loaf is too wide to slice.
- Gluten free: We haven't tested it, but several readers have by using 1:1 gluten free flour. Slice the GF loaf at ¼ inch rather than ⅛.
- Make the loaves ahead. Bake a double batch, wrap the cooled loaves tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. One reader made 90 crackers for her Christmas cheese board and didn't have a single one left!
- Doneness on the second bake: Golden brown, like the rye chips in a bag of Chex mix, and dry to the touch. They will harden more as they cool.
What's the best way to store fruit and nut crackers?
Storage: Keep the baked crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Because of the dried fruit they soften a little as they sit. If that happens, spread them on a baking sheet and pop them into a 300°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes to crisp back up. Crackers made with cranberries or raisins stay crisp longer than ones made with figs or apricots.
Freezer storage: Freeze the unsliced, cooled loaves, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 3 months. When you want crackers, let a loaf sit out for 10 to 15 minutes, slice and bake at 300°F as directed. We keep two or three in the freezer from November through New Year's!
More homemade cracker recipes you'll love
- Rosemary Olive Oil Crackers
- Christmas Tree-Shaped Crackers
- White Cheddar Spritz Crackers
- Slice & Bake Cheddar Cheese Coins
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Recipe
Fruit and Nut Crackers
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- 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 let the loaf sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. 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 or longer; ovens vary. 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.
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?
Debbie says
I wondered if a mandolin would work too. I did read on another recipe thread that the baker had successfully sliced the loaf with a meat slicer.
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.