Snacks Recipes

DIY Raincoast Crisps

Whoever coined the term “snack cracker” must have had Lesley Stowe Raincoast Crisps in mind: They’re uncommonly dense and crunchy, which makes a satisfying bite — and a great vehicle for dips and cheese. They can handle a load! But they’re also packed with nuts and dried fruit, so they’re hearty as all get-out and ridiculously tasty. You don’t really need to put anything on them.

As super fans, our test kitchen set out to create a copycat Raincoast Crisp recipe that was as true to form as possible. They filled the dough with oats, slivered almonds, dates, and raisins. There’s a bunch of seeds in there, too! And it’s sweetened with honey and brown sugar. The result is a malty-sweet cracker with a nice whole-grain flavor and loads of toasty, seedy, nutty goodness. The texture is just what it should be: crispy at the edges and a little bendy and chewy in the middle.

The one big difference from Stowe’s: we bake the initial loaf in a full-size bread pan so that when you slice it into individual crackers, they’re supersized … and we’re definitely not going to be the ones to complain. After all, that only means you can put more goodies on them. They’re perfect for a snack board. Think sharp white cheddar with buttery slices of smoky prosciutto or tangy goat cheese layered with sour cherry jam.

Our tips: The dates are going to want to clump, so sprinkle them into the dough. And, after the second bake, you’ll find that the crackers are still a little soft — don’t worry, they’ll set up as they cool.

Yield: About 50 crackers

DIY Raincoast Crisps
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Snacks

DIY Raincoast Crisps

Ingredients

Cooking spray
¾ cup slivered almonds
½ cup raw pepitas
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 Tbsp honey
1 ¼ cups dried dates, pitted, roughly chopped
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup whole flaxseeds
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup rolled oats

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray 2 9x5” loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.

  2. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss together the almonds and pepitas. Toast in the oven until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

  3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

  4. Add the buttermilk, brown sugar, and honey, and stir to combine. Add the almonds, pepitas, dates, sesame seeds, whole flaxseeds, raisins, and oats, and stir until just combined.

  5. Divide the batter among the prepared loaf pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and springy to the touch.

  6. Allow the loaves to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Unmold the loaves and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

  7. To make slicing easier, place the loaves on a plate and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

  8. Preheat the oven to 325°. Slice the loaves into ⅛”-thick crackers. Place the crackers in a single layer on 2 sheet pans.

  9. Bake for 15 minutes, flip the crackers, and bake for another 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. The crackers will continue to crisp and harden as they cool. Let cool completely.

  10. The crackers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.


Recipe adapted from: The Cafe Sucre Farine

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