If you love raincoast crisps, you will love this recipe. If you have never heard of raincoats crisps, then let me just say that these slightly sweet crackers are chock full of dried fruit and nuts and are delicious alone or when accompanying a cheese plate. You might the tempted to turn away thinking that you haven’t quite reached the level of granola that includes making your crackers, let me remind you of this–one small box (we’re talking twenty crackers at most) of raincoats crisps costs at least $7. I said s-e-v-e-n d-o-l-l-a-r-s. For crackers. Ready to break out your Birkenstocks now? Lucky for you (and for me!) these are totally easy to make. If you can make a loaf of banana bread, you can make these. Easy peasy.
I adapted this recipe from Julie over at Dinner with Julie. I’ve seen several creative types on pinterest making these crackers in adorable little mini loaf pans, resulting in an almost perfectly square cracker. I don’t mind the longer shape, so I have just been using a regular loaf pan. I often divide the batter in half and add different kinds of nuts and dried fruit to each half, and then bake off half a loaf . For example, this time I did one batch with chopped dried figs and almonds, and another with dried sour cherries and pecans. These crackers are best enjoyed on the first or second day, so if you don’t quite need 8 dozen crackers, simply slice off the number of crackers you need and wrap the rest of the loaf in plastic wrap, stick it in a ziplock bag and throw it in the freezer.
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 cup dried fruit (I used figs in one batch and sour cherries in the other)
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I went with almonds and pecans)
- 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350 degreed Fahrenheit.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, and brown sugar in a medium sized bowl.
- Add buttermilk and honey.
- Gently fold in dried fruit and nuts.
- Pour into two greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35 minutes.
- Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Slice the loaves as thin as possible and arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
- Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees fahrenheit, and bake for about 15 minutes.
- Flip each cracker and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes.
- If you managed to slice them paper thin, remove as soon as the edges begin to significantly darken, even if the time is not up.
This is an amazing recipe! Totally addicting…. I ate 6 or 7 slices in one sitting!! Highly recommend this one!
I didn’t know I needed this recipe until right now:
1. I love those crackers
2. I have old buttermilk in the fridge
3. I have several small bags of trace amounts of fruits, nuts, and seeds accumulating in corners
4. I’m bored RIGHT NOW
5. I really really love those crackers…..
Okay, not only did I add random seeds and nuts, but also random flours – some rye and whole wheat. These were perfect. And easy. And delicious. And they made the equivalent of at least $14 worth of crackers. Oh yeah….
Mmm, I bet the rye was a nice addition!
Aren’t these perfect for using up the last of various dried fruits and nuts you have lying around? So many combinations. I still haven’t tried the classic combination with rains and rosemary, but it’s definitely on my list!
Too perfect. I. can’t. stop. eating. And one batch is HUGE. I know they’re healthy, but I’m eating them nonstop. And I can’t wait to make the next batch. I love them so much I hate them.
Seriously, they’re perfect. And they’ll be perfect-er when I figure out how to add chocolate to them. I’ll binge til I explode, I expect.
Oh my gosh, yes! I would love to know how the chocolate goes.
I made a second batch – hazelnut, cranberries, flax and cocoa nibs. I have to say I preferred the ones with the rye flour and the cocoa nibs added only a nutty crunch, not a chocolate flavour – that saying, I’d use them again.
They’re still delicious and addictive! Next up is raisin cranberry, haven’t decided on the nuts/seeds. And rye. Thanks again!
Oh, and my 78 year old auntie tried them – a real traditionalist in the kitchen – and she loved them and asked for the recipe!
Well, if they pass the auntie test we know we have a winner! (As if easing an entire batch in one sitting wasn’t evidence enough!)
I wonder if a mandolin would work to slice the frozen loaf? Have only used minenon veggies, but… maybe?
Just bought a box of the real ones yesterday and thought, I wonder if I could make these? Thank God for google!
What can I substitute for the buttermilk
These are perfect — I have a fig tree that could feed a small country and am always looking for new ideas to make food gifts so the figs don’t go to waste. I regularly make fig jam and copycat Fig Newtons, this is a welcome addition to my recipe bank. I will give them as gifts with a pot of spread made of cream cheese mixed with fig jam!
Really yummy, I saw the suggestion these are best eaten day one or two. I made them in the afternoon but by morning they had softened and were chewy and very different and not very good. And I live in a dry climate. I stored them in Tupperware but left the lid off. Any storage ideas to get these to be crispy at least 24 hours?