With these microwave keto crackers, calling them ‘easy’ doesn’t cut it… they’re suuuper easy! Expect delicious and crisp results in under 15 minutes.
Gluten Free & Keto Crackers
Ultra Easy (i.e. Microwave!)
These are simply terrific you guys, and particularly handy if in a pickle (or just feeling a little bit lazy!). With just 5 staple keto pantry ingredients, you get some proper crackers in no time.
Awesome for a solo snack, absolutely killer with some cheese (brie-still-my-heart!)… and did anyone say avocado ‘toast’ (just make them bigger, tostada style)!
The Deets
Easy-peasy! Melt the butter, mix together, chill for a few mins, roll out (pressing with a tortilla press works great too!), cutout and microwave for 30-50 seconds (depending on size, your microwave etc).
But here’s the deal: for best results you ought to cook the dough right away! You see, I found that when I left the dough to hang out in the fridge overnight the crackers took twice as long to cook (and they didn’t get as crisp!). My thought is that the almond flour absorbs the liquid overnight and becomes very soft and hard to crisp up quickly in the microwave (think blanched almonds!).
So my one rule, I repeat: cook your dough right away!
Now, I also noticed that if I cooked them all at once the ones in the center cooked much faster (microwave newbie here!). So I also suggest you cook them in batches.
Want to bake them up in the oven? Sure thing! Do 350F for 10-14 mins, until golden. But if you’re going through the ‘oven hassle’, may I suggest you whip up some of our other recipes? Say our buttery almond, ultra flaky or cheddar cheese crackers!
The Flours
I found that for these keto crackers, super fine almond flour did a killer job (solo!). Add a touch of xanthan gum (I use Bob’s), and we’re golden.
In terms of brands, for the almond either Anthony’s (my favorite!) or WellBees work great; both are super fine grinds!
The Seasoning
So here’s the deal guys, cooking baked goods in your microwave can lead to rather bland baked goods (they don’t brown etc). And so while the crackers are good solo, they’re actually delicious with some seasoning thrown in.
My favorite here? Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel without a doubt (it’s a 1/3rd of the price at TJ stores though)!
But if in a pinch, you can always just do black pepper or throw in a touch of garlic powder or flakes.
(40 Second!) Ultra Easy Keto Crackers
Ingredients
For the keto crackers
- 35 g salted grass-fed butter
- 96 g almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch kosher salt if using unsalted butter up the salt to 1/4 tsp
- 1/2 egg i.e. 1 1/2 tablespoons
Seasoning suggestions
Instructions
- Melt butter in a small (microwave safe!) bowl until just melted, but not piping hot. Set aside to cool while you mix the flours.
- Add the almond flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl and whisk thoroughly. Pour in the butter and mix until evenly distributed (I just use my hands!). Add in your lightly whisked egg (1/2 egg is roughly 1 1/2 tablespoons or 25g) and continue to knead until it forms into a ball. Cover in cling film and place in the freezer for 5 minutes to solidify the butter.
- Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, sprinkle seasoning and lightly roll again to press it in. Trim to desired cracker size and separate gently. The dough is fragile, so I separate the pieces by running a knife underneath.
- For medium crackers, cook on high in the parchment paper for 20 seconds, open the microwave and cook for another 15-20 seconds. The crackers will continue to crisp up as they cool, but I suggest you do a trial with a couple to nail down your time!
- Note: cooking times can vary a lot depending on your cracker size and microwave, and I found they cook more evenly in batches of 4-6 (as opposed to the whole batch!) and in two bursts. My microwave is 1000 watts. Also be sure to cook your dough right away, as leaving it in the fridge overnight makes the almond flour harder to crisp up (as it has absorbed the liquid and essentially 'blanched').
- Note 2: these can be baked too! Just do 8-12 minutes in your oven at 350F/180C until lightly golden (will depend on size and thickness). And to make them extra crisp, feel free to do a double bake biscotti-style (i.e. let them cool, and bake them again for 5 minutes).
I have made these so many times since first discovering them. I LOVE them and so do everyone else who’s tried them!! I’m now quadrupling the recipe because we tend to go through them quickly. These have been such a wonderful addition to my keto lifestyle. Only caution is that an excess of almond anything means eating too much omega 6 which can cause inflammation in the body. Since almost all keto baking is done with almond flour, I try to limit how many times/week I eat almond anything. Having said that, these crackers are the BEST!!!! I make them as written:-)))))
Paola, you’re recipes are soooooooooo good!!! Thank you:-)))
Its an amazing recipe, easy and very tasty . I made it for me and my husband, i ended up hiding the plate from him :). I cooked them in oven does not take too much time , the idea to brush the top with liquids or eggs is good coz the seasonings needs something to stick.
Thanks
Baked it in the oven and really got a good crisp!
About 180 degrees for 5 to 10 mins. I rolled it out on a sheet and put it in the oven without cutting. About halfway through while it’s still soft but cooked, I knifed them into squares and put it back to get them brown and more crisp!
Also put chia seeds with a bit of salt on top since i didn’t have the bagel seasoning
First time making these and they were delicious! Thanks so very much for all your fabulous recipes!
I have to say that I was super skeptical and was planning on making him in the oven and then I tried this.
WOWOW honestly quite amazing. I love that trader Joe’s everything bagel seasoning and have used it on things before but this is the best application! I made my crackers a little smaller and came up with just under 40. So maybe mine were thinner… I did not see anywhere in the recipe how thin to roll out.
I think everyone’s microwave being different is true. I found the 30 seconds plus 30 seconds for most was good but sometimes I added another 10-15 seconds as the parchment paper I was using got wetter. They are fabulous! I’ve already sent this to three friends. Thanks so much!
I think everyone that fell as this lifestyle can honestly say they miss something crunchy. This is fantastic for that!
“Everything But The Bagel” seasoning (same brand as Trader Joe’s) can be found at Costco. An 11.5 oz container for $4.76 (? on the ‘6’). Trader Joe’s container is 2.3 oz at $1.99. You get 2 TJ’s (4.6 oz) @ $4. The large container from Costco is 5 times more (11.5 oz) for an additional $.76 cents. A no brainer for sure.
XANTHAN …I have pets and would prefer not having XANTHAN in my home. What can I expect for this recipe without it? Is there something else that I can add? Thank you, Pat
Xanthan is fine Pat! It’s xylitol (the sweetener!) that is poisonous to dogs (like chocolate) xo!
Can Barney’s Almond Butter Powder be used in place of the almond flour? If so, does it change the net carbs per serving?
I honestly haven’t tried it here Kat! xo
Best cracker recipe I’ve ever tried, period!
I too rolled out too thin, but made up for it by piping the spread on.
Used the rest of the egg as a wash to help the seasonings stick.
Thank you for reporting back in detail Soummer (and how awesome you loved!!!)! 🙂
hi!! my daughter is dairy free can these be made w margarine?
Any suggestions for a sub on the eggs. I just can’t do eggs in any form.
Neither can my hubby. Aquafaba has never let us down. 3 T for every 1 large egg. Although I have not yet tried this sub in this recipe, I will be doing so as soon as I can & post update.
I made these in the microwave. I didn’t roll then out or use parchment paper (missed that part) just pressed them in a microwave safe bowl. The first batch were a little too soft and crumbly, the second batch was better but still a little soft so maybe they were not thin enough, seasoned with garlic powder and Italian season before cooking and they taste fantastic. I will have to try again to get them perfect.
These are so good! The texture for me is a cross between a biscuit and a cracker, satisfying enough for wanting something crunchy, savory and flaky. The options for seasoning is endless…wanting to try something sweet next time. Thanks for the recipe!
Can you tell me how this though holds together? Can you tell me how the baked crackers hold together? It is a real mess, from making them to eat them! The “crackers” don’t even come up crispy… Please don’t sell this as crackers.
Hi Fernando! The Xanthan gum replaces the gluten, and it definitely holds them together… so I would need more details to help you diagnose what went wrong than just telling me “a real mess” 😉 xo!
Speak for yourself. I’ve been eating crackers from this recipe 😋
I had to cook then a lot longer than suggested( 1200 watt microwave) and they were still crubbly and more like a shortbread than a cracker
Me too!! Cooked several minutes (4+) and *never* got crispy. I’ll use conventional oven next time.
Thoroughly enjoyed the ease and taste of these buttery crackers. Reminded me of the homemade crackers I had at a Napa winery. Super tasty accompaniment for my tuna salad. Gnom-gnom!
Tips: I found it helpful to use a small offset spatula and a pizza peel to transfer the crackers back and forth because I have an overhead microwave and I’m vertically challenged 😬 Also I found my indicator for doneness was if they weren’t sizzling when I opened the microwave they weren’t cooked through well enough. In fact, since I had some time, I let them sit in the warmer of my oven for a while to dry out and crisp up a bit more. I’d still be happy to whip up a quicker batch just the way Paola instructed.
Stupid Question maybe, but on your nutritional label, it never seems to list the sugars. Is that because there isn’t any?? THANK YOUUUUUU!
Hi! Can these be frozen , after baking ? I’d like to make doble the recipe and freeze half( really in to freezing) that way I always have some on hand 😊
How thick are these supposed to be rolled?
They are tasty, but I did something wrong. The recipe doesn’t give direction on how thin to roll the dough so perhaps I rolled too thin. The crackers were not substantial enough to spread cheese on or pick up without falling apart. I think next time, I’ll make them thicker and oven bake. I did oven bake the last few and they turned out a bit better, but still pretty flaky. 3 stars for baker error…
I made these and loved them I did the oven version I put course sea salt on them. Unfortunately I made them too thin trying to get 18 crackers. I’ll make them thicker next time and do a double batch also going to stop at trade joes for the seasoning
These are yummy! I had them for dinner last night with sardines on top and this morning for breakfast with cheese! Didn’t have superfine almond flour so just went ahead with a coarser version. Mine took much longer tho to seem done in the microwave, the last batch was 35 + 30 and were just right. A bit fragile even after cooking so had to be gentle with toppings. I used a generic brand of seasoning I got at the dollar store ;). This is a great recipe to just whip up whenever, but do you think it would be possible to freeze after cooking them to have more on hand?
These are amazing! Thanks once again for a wonderful recipe!
Tip: once I rolled out the dough between two sheets of paper, I just cut the paper with the dough to the right size with scissors. Then straight into the microwave. Didn’t have to transfer it or anything. For the second part in the microwave, I flipped them and removed the top layer of paper. Worked wonderfully 🙂
Wonderful to hear Cindy, and thank you for reporting back in detail! You know, I found that I had to separate them slightly from each other after cutting so they would cook more evenly… BUT! microwaves baffle me, so awesome to hear it worked with just trimming the parchment paper away for you ☺️!
Last time I made crackers, not this recipe, they stuck to the rolling pin, and also stuck to the parchment paper, what a mess , will spraying pam eliminate this
No need to spray Donna, these don’t stick! Try and follow a new recipe to the t the first time around, otherwise you could change the ratio of oil 😉 xo!
Can guard gum be used as a substitute for xanthan gum?
Hi Sharon! It doesn’t work as well, so you’ll need to add a little more (Bobs has a conversion table) xo!
Hello Beautiful Creative Genius!! What is the reason we don’t just double all the other ingredients and use a whole egg? I’m sure You have a good one since You da bomb!!
Thank You for all Your hard work and sharing everything with us!! I am buying Your books just so I can give You money!! You deserve it!! YOU ROCK!!
Oh Becky you’re so sweet- thank you so much for your support! Yup, you can definitely go ahead and just double everything (I thought I had included it in the post, clearly not oops!). My reasoning is that since the dough needs to be used right away, it might be a bit cumbersome for some to do a double batch (but totally can! I did while testing ;)!) xo!
Am wondering (bc I must be the only person on this planet that detests the smell/taste of butter), anybody try coconut oil or maybe olive oil?
What could I replace the egg with? Would a flax egg work?
I haven’t tried with a flax egg tbh. But I can tell you that without the egg I git breadcrumbs… it just didn’t hold together, even with the xanthan gum. Xo!
Hi when u say 11/2 tablespoons egg is that the yellow and white bit no understanding
Thank you for letting me know it’s not clear enough! Lightly whisk it and then measure (otherwise it would read egg yolk or egg white ☺️) xo!
There’s no way to eat just one, lol, so these will have to be an occasional recipe for me since I have NO self control & I basically consumed my allotted daily carbs in crackers! (Yes, they are that good) I followed the recipe exactly but used my home made version of Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel since it costs a fortune on Amazon (no Joe’s store near me)
It’s easy & cheap to make up a batch since it’s basically dried onion pieces, dried minced garlic, kosher salt, sesame and poppy seeds (Don’t use powdered ingredients) You can find everything online, mix it up yourself & still be able to use the individual components in other recipes. I refill my original jar, with my spice mix, for less than $1
Lol Cynthia!! Glad they were THAT good 😜 great tip on the bagel seasoning! And yup, it’s like $2 at TJ rather than $6 😳
Some Costco’s carry a jar of everything bagel topping as well!
I just bought a 2.6 oz jar of Sam’s choice Everything Bagel seasoning blend at Walmart for just over $2. $2.29, I think.
Ah I love you!! Just when I am thinking i have no microwave crackers since I went dairy free recently. Right on time!!!
Can these crackers be baked in a convection oven — I don’t have a microwave.
Check out the Deets section in the post Beverly 😉
same question, Can we bake in oven, I quit microwaves?
Read the post guys! Xo!
Giiiiiiiirl!!! You’re a genius!!! As you would say, they’re LEGIT AMAZING! I did 20 seconds and then 10 🙂
Forgot to leave a rating! 10 stars if I could!
Oh 😂!!! Emily that’s super nice to hear!! And thanks for reporting back on your time, I’m sure it will work!
How do you store these?
In an airtight container at room temperature (sorry, forgot to add it to the recipe! will do so now ;)!)
CANNOT WAIT to try tonight!! My hubby bought lots of cheese this weekend at the farmers market and was JUST looking for recipes!!! How do you always read my mind?
Happy to hear my forecasting powers are still intact 😜 hope you love Carmen!!