Divas on a Dime: Copycat Crackers

By Patti Diamond

Homemade Copycat Crackers: A Savvy Saver's Delight

Are you a fan of those fancy, flavorful (and expensive!) crisps you find in gourmet markets? You know, the first to disappear from charcuterie boards everywhere? The ones where there's rain on the coast (wink, wink!).

Well, I've got great news for you just in time for the holidays. You can make your own, and it's not only cost-effective, but surprisingly easy.

These crisps closely resemble their high-end counterparts. Here's the real magic -- one batch yields a whopping 100 crackers for around $5. For reference, they sell for an average of $7.50 for a box of 30 online.

No need for a fancy kitchen setup here. Mix all the ingredients easily by hand in a single bowl, divide the batter between four small loaf pans, bake, cool, slice thin, and bake again. Simple as that.

These homemade crackers are a treat for the taste buds. They're essential on charcuterie boards, paired with soups, salads or a simple smear of almond butter.

You can customize the ingredients to your liking. You mix and match seeds, fruits and nuts. The possibilities are endless.

Seed ideas: golden flax seeds, pepitas, chia seeds, millet, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds.

Dried fruit ideas: cranberries, apricots, raisins, dates, figs, cherries, blueberries, currants.

Nut ideas: almonds, walnuts, pistachios, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts.

Additional ideas: fresh thyme, rosemary, olives, grated firm cheeses, ginger, pumpkin spice.

No buttermilk? No problem! You can easily create your own by combining 2 cups of milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar. Let rest for 15 minutes, and it's ready. Alternatively, plain yogurt is a suitable replacement.

These copycat crisps closely resemble their high-end counterparts. PHOTO CREDIT: www.JasonCoblentz.com

IMPOSTER-COAST CRISPS

Yield: 100 crackers

Freeze Time: 3 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour, divided

• 2 cups whole wheat flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup assorted seeds

• 1 cup assorted dried fruit, chopped

• 1 cup assorted nuts, chopped

• 2 cups buttermilk

• 1/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease four mini loaf pans (3 inches by 6 inches).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine. Add the seeds, fruit and nuts, and mix.

Add the buttermilk and honey, and stir until everything is mixed and the fruit and nuts are evenly distributed.

Evenly fill your loaf pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool for 10 minutes in the pans before turning out onto a rack to cool completely. It's important that the loaves are completely cool before freezing.

Wrap the cooled loaves in plastic and put in the freezer for 3 hours, or until firm. The loaves can be made in advance and frozen for up to a month before slicing.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Using a serrated bread knife, slice the frozen loaves as thinly as you possibly can. You should get around 25 slices from each loaf.

Place slices in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes on one side, then flip them over and bake for another 15 minutes. Your crackers could take a little more or less time depending on their thickness. Watch carefully so they don't burn.

If your crackers aren't as crisp as you'd like, it's possible they were sliced a bit thick. Simply reheat the oven to 250F degrees, place the crackers on a sheet pan, and turn the oven off. Leave them in the warm oven for 30 minutes, and they'll crisp up nicely. Happy snacking!

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Lifestyle expert Patti Diamond is the penny-pinching, party-planning, recipe developer and content creator of the website Divas On A Dime -- Where Frugal, Meets Fabulous! Visit Patti at www.divasonadime.com and join the conversation on Facebook at DivasOnADimeDotCom. Email Patti at divapatti@divasonadime.com

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