Herbed Chickpea (Garbanzo) Flour CRACKers
30 Mar
We like to joke in our family that the women on my mom’s side have a problem — we love salt, we love vinegar, and we loooove CRUNCH. If crunch were an entity in itself, rather than a quality, I would have married myself off to Crunch decades ago. God forbid any Star Trek crazy alternate realities in which Crunch is an entity. And single.
This is getting awkward, isn’t it? Ok. Well, all that silence on your end and blabbing on about Crunch on my end aside, I should tell you… *deep breath*: I am a crack[er] addict. When I left gluten behind, and soon after grains altogether (yes, I know! I’ll share more about that in an upcoming post; it’s a long story), the most challenging part of my new eating style was that I could only crunch on so many roasted almonds before I felt like I was turning into one.
(“Violet, you’re turning violet, Violet!” <– Only replace “Violet” with “Almond,” and forget the whole spoiled-rich-brat thing…)
Needless to say, I am so, so, so grateful to be able to expand my Crunchy repertoire again!
You all know I’m on a chickpea flour kick lately; I make something with it literally every day. I decided that since I’m happily married, I should meddle, and try to match-make my favorite single friends. Isn’t that what married people do? (Joke.) Crunch, meet Chick Flour. Chick Flour, Crunch.
It was lust love at first bite.
Ingredients:
3 Tb ground flax seed
1/2 C + 2 Tb water
1 C chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 Tb rosemary
1 t basil
Recipe:
1) Preheat oven at 350*. Make flax egg by mixing water and flax. Set aside to thicken for a few minutes.
2) Mix dry ingredients.
3) Add wet ingredients to dry and stir to combine. (If you need to add another TB or two water, go ahead.)
4) Wet hands with water, and remove dough from bowl.
5) Place dough on a parchment paper-laden baking sheet, and begin to flatten with hands (you may need to keep re-wetting them with water). The thinner, the crisper (but also potentially more delicate).
6) Once you’ve shaped the dough, you can sprinkle a little extra salt on the top (or way too much, like I did), or just pop ‘em in the oven as-is.
7) Watch closely; when edges and top are browned, remove them. It will vary depending on your oven (mine took about 15-20 minutes). The longer they are in there, and the longer they cool, the crisper they will be.
You can immediately break them apart by hand (I did) for a more rustic cut, or score them before they go into the oven. Either way, let them cool 1/2 an hour before chowing, so they can crisp up.
Did I mention how these really do have the texture of a quality cracker? That they can stand up to the test of hearty dips (I think this would be insanely delicious with tapenade)? That they are healthy to boot — high in protein, iron, fiber, and the antioxidant manganese? Oh, and that they’re vegan? You’re welcome. <3
What healthy crunchables do you enjoy? Have you “married” any wonder foods together lately?
The texture on those crackers looks delightful. I’d eat them up in a second!
We totally did
There are only crumbs left today!
Those look epic. Send me some
Epic indeed.
Glad you got your crunch back!
These look delicious!
I love that — got my crunch back! Who needs groove when you have CRUNCH, am I right?!
Katie,
Do you just buy chickpea flour at the market or do you make it? I’ve never heard of it until now and by looking at these crackers, I’m gonna get me some!!!!
Hi Jamie! You can make it, but I buy mine at the market (Bob’s Red Mill brand). It’s less than $3 for over a lb. I hear that you can just throw dried chickpeas into a coffee grinder or food processor until they pulverized into a flour, but I am sure you can find a good tutorial online
Get ready to fall in love with chickpea flour…!!!
Is Garbanzo Bean Flour the same thing? That’s all I could find on Bobs Red Mill website???
Yep! Same thing
Katie these look delicious — I am a cracker addict as well. You don’t happen to know a good recipe for a healthy Ritz cracker, do you?
Just put that on my request list — will make ‘em soon!
Thanks Holly!
I’m not a cracker addict, I’ a dip addict. A good dip needs something DIPPED into it. So, from a previous gluten-free/relatively new grain-free foodie… I thank you from the bottom of my heart (Mary’s Gone Crackers really weren’t cutting it for me).
Girl, my husband calls me The Sauce Queen — and he includes Dips as an integral component of that title
So, I hear ya! MGC are ok, but I also wanted something that was more versatile, and with a different flavor. These are awesome with dips. I think it would be insane with a pesto dip, or tapenade. Recipes coming soooon 
So glad these will work for you!
I love making crackers out of chickpea flour!
They have such a great distinc flavor, and so addicting!
That’s why they’re CRACK-ers, heh heh
I have heard of chickpea flour but have never cooked/baked with it! I will surely be using it soon to try this recipe
One of my favorite “crunchy” healthy snacks are good ole’ Kale Chips. You can season them how you like and satisfy that crunch I crave sometimes!
I love kale chips so hard. Ugh. They are amazing. Sometimes I need a sturdier “chip,” though — that’s where these come in handy!
Hope you like ‘em!
I’m not a huge cracker fan, but these look AMAZING!
They are — promise!
Lady, I found your blog when Gena gave you a shout out on Choosing Raw… and I’m so glad I did! All of your tutorials and ideas about healthy living are so very thoughtful and similar to my own. Just wanted to say you’ve got a friend and reader in me!
And crack-ers. Love it. I’ve been making something similar to these puppies, but I’ve been pulverizing some nooch and walnuts into the dough. ohmahgahhhh so good!
Rose, thanks so much for your comment! I’m glad you introduced yourself. Now we’re friends
I thought about nooch, but worried it might scare people off 
Definitely going to try it though. And the walnuts? You’re a genius — just upping the crunch factor to the INSANE level of deliciousness! Bam! Brilliant.
Those look GOOD.
I love Mary’s gone crackers, and under the popable category how can I forget popcorn. And terra chips, natch.
I know I shouldn’t pop them in my mouth so fast but I can’t help it.
My favorite Terra chips are the Sweets and Beets — oh my goodness, I can eat the whole bag by myself!
Crackers look amazing! I want to grab one off the screen right now! You know we love our garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
Thanks!
Yes — you are the ones who helped me fall in love with it! <3
Cute blog! You so pritt-deee!
I heart pretzels, wheat thins and thin mints. Crunchy and delish!
Thanks Dana!
Hi there! New reader here and I’m enjoying your blog a lot. Newly turned vegan—-in August last year cleared out all my processed foods and started building my healthy pantry. Haven’t had a cracker since, but, just recently started to crave some and I just so happen to have all these ingredients on hand. Looks like I’ll be making these either tonight or tomorrow. Thanks!
PS. Can’t wait to try your vegan split pea soup. Have some split peas right now that need using.
Hi Lisa! Thanks so much. I’m so excited that you’re making the crackers and split pea soup! They would go so well together — thanks for the idea.
Love crackers and chickpea flour and herbs so ill prob love these!
I hope (and think) so!
These look amazing!! I love how thin they are! Too bad garbanzo flour is hard on my stomach…I can eat the beans but the flour does not so nice things. hehe
Haha, bummer
Can’t wait to try these but I don’t see a temp anywhere! Please help, I’m probably staring right at it and not seeing it… =)
Hi Claire! Thank you so much for catching that — I accidentally deleted the line that had the temp in it…oops! It should be up there now in the first step — 350*. If you’re in a rush, you can totally bump it up to 375* (I did halfway through), just keep an eye on it.
Katie,
VERY excited to try these. The kiddos and I loved the socca pizza – we tried it last week. Yum! I had just received 25 lbs of garbanzo beans and 25 lbs of white northern beans from Azure Standard as we get ready to go gluten-, et al-free. Loving your blog – keep it up! I know I’ll be turning to you LOTS during our upcoming gluten-, sugar-, yeast-, dairy-free adventures. Your timing for starting your blog is impeccable for our family.
My Bosch blender whizzed the beans into a pretty good textured flour for the socca; I’m going to see if I can put the beans through my Nutrimill grinder (have to check their oil content first) for finer flour uses. Love these culinary experiments.
Hope you’re having a good time with your new endeavor – you’re doing great.
Cheers!
Teri
Hi Teri! I am so thrilled to hear that they were a hit with the little ones! If kids like it, I consider it a winner
I hope I can help as you guys transition into a new style of eating — I know having a resource for recipes really helped me during that journey too. I adore that you are making your own bean flour! I can’t wait to have a blender that can handle doing that; I am sure it will save money and be very rewarding.
Your encouraging words mean so much to me — thank you!
I have been all about your recipes since I’ve discovered your page LESS than a week ago. I’ve made your pumpkin muffins, bean-y bruschetta, tea squares, savory date tapenade, garbanzo bean flour pizza crust (which turned into pita chips… the batter was too big to flip on the frying pan lol), dessert humus, blueberry scuffins and your kale & apple salad with apple cider vinaigrette. I’m obsessed. Everything came out perfect, too, except the crumbly tea squares (but, that’s okay!). I’m from CT and I don’t know howwww I stumbled upon your blog, but, I am so fortunate I did! You’re awesome. Keep it up.