From first crunchy nut-filled bite, we've been big fans of the rosemary raisin pecan crackers from Raincoast Crisps. Addicts, really. Our habit has been kept in check only by the long trek across town to the one store that carries them and the fact that their cost still makes us think twice. This DIY recipe might just be our salvation.
Julie of the blog Dinner with Julie developed this recipe after finding herself in a similarly addictive relationship with Raincoast Crisps. She realized that the ingredients were very similar to Boston brown bread and took the recipe from there.
And it's fantastic! Twice-baked like biscotti, these crackers are thin, crispy, and packed with flavor. The raisins add their chewy texture and sweetness, while the nuts and seeds give the crackers substance. The fresh rosemary gives a breath of pine-y goodness to every bite, just like in the original crackers.
Julie recommends freezing the loaves before slicing in order to get the thinnest crackers possible. This worked really well for us. Baking the loaves in mini-loaf tins also gave them the perfect cracker shape.
We are so very happy to have found this recipe. It's easy to throw together on a whim and one batch makes enough to keep us happy for weeks. The real Raincoast Crisps might still win in a side-by-side taste test, but not by much!
A few notes for next time:
• We love rosemary and thought it could have been even stronger in this recipe. Next time we will double the amount we use. A touch more salt also wouldn't be out of place.
• The ground flax seed worked really well here. For even more savory depth, we're thinking of replacing half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat.
• Try plumping the raisins before mixing them into the batter. we found that this made them stand out more in the finished cracker.
• This would be a very easy recipe to adapt using any dried fruit or mix of nuts and seeds. Just keep the proportions of wet and dry ingredients the same and go for it. We can't wait to start experimenting!
• Get the Recipe! Rosemary Raisin Pecan Crisps from Dinner with Julie
Related: Flatbread to Shortbread: 10 Great Recipes with Rosemary
(Images: Emma Christensen)
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I too share this addiction. I'm almost afraid to try this, and have to bare the possible disappointment of this recipe not holding up to the real thing
Oh man, I tried a different recipe for these as part of a Thanksgiving relish tray and it was a disaster. It took a lot of shopping for stuff I didn't have (thank you, bulk bins!) and I was so excited as I love these, but...ooh. They were not good.
Maybe this recipe will fair better! I'm almost tempted to try them twice... ;)
As a heads up for anyone dying to try these on the quick--Trader Joe's carries its own version. SO GOOD, especially with a little cheese on top!
@matt - I haven't done a side-by-side comparison on these yet (I need to make that cross-town trip to the store!). But I've got to say, these are really tasty enough to hold their own!
@LauraJane - One of the things I loved about this recipe was how EASY it was. You literally mix everything together, dump it in a loaf pan, and bake. Then freeze, slice thinly, and re-bake. Very easy and doable in an afternoon, plus I found all the ingredients at my local chain grocery store.
I LOOOOOVVVEEE the Raincoast Crisps, I buy them at Whole Foods but they are totally an expensive habit to have. I will definitely try to make these!! I love them with a little brie spread on top! YUMMYYYY!!
I was lucky enough to try these (Emma shared! :) and they were awesome. Really almost identical to Raincoast Crisps.
This is super exciting, because I love those crisps and I cannot justify $7 for a box of crackers that I will eat in one sitting.
I bought my first 2 boxes of Raincoast this week at Earth Fare and thought they were good (plain) but not "to die for", I laughed when my wife raised an eyebrow at the cost was 6.99 per box. These might be worth trying.
follow-up we used the Raincoast crisps at a small get together Christmas Eve and I spread room temp. Brie (President or some such, inexpensive) on the Cranberry Hazelnut type and boy did a WOW! come out of my mouth. Not only were the flavors mixed great but the crisp was softened up just enough to not make you lose a molar. I'm sold now and plan on trying about recipe.
I make a slightly simplified version of Julie's recipe that turns out really well. I also sub walnuts for the pecans, because I always have them around!
http://operagirlcooks.com/2011/02/24/rosemary-raisin-walnut-crisps-recipe/
So excited to find this recipe. Just bough Raincoast crisps yesterday, for the first time and they are amazing! Served them to my dinner guests and everyone loved them. Now I can make my own. I paid 8.99 for a box and they went fast. Thanks so much. Will be making them tomorrow.