Chipotle Cheddar Crackers - Are You Ready for Some Football?

Since football season is upon us now and fall is just around the corner...as in tomorrow, I decided this would be a great time to give you an awesome snack idea to prepare and these Chipotle Cheddar Crackers are low carb, grain and gluten free and make the perfect snack to enjoy along with friends and family while watching your favorite team play. Or if you are like me and could care less about football (sorry football fans), these crackers are also great alongside a bowl of soup, chili or cheese and crackers or dip...you name it. They are also incredibly good as is! The ways you can season them and change them up are endless. I love them served alongside my Fire Roasted Tomato Cheddar Chowder...it's like having grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup (well, almost). These are great snack crackers to put out during football games, holiday get-togethers, etc. Check out a few of my photos below as well as the recipe for the crackers below. Enjoy!

Chipotle Cheddar Crackers

Ingredients:

·        1/4 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

·        1-1/2 cups almond flour or meal

·        2 tablespoons ground golden flaxseeds

·        2 tablespoons sesame seeds

·        1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

·        1/4 teaspoon onion powder

·        1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder, to taste

·        1 large egg

·        1 tablespoon olive oil

·        1/4 teaspoon sea salt, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Place cheddar cheese and almond flour in a medium bowl. Using a pastry/dough blender, cut cheddar into flour mixture until finely chopped and evenly incorporated; stir in flax, sesame seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground chipotle chile powder.

In a separate small bowl, whisk egg and olive oil until combined; pour into dry mixture. Combine mixture using a rubber spatula into a stiff dense dough; knead a couple times in the bowl with the heel of your hand to thoroughly combine and moisten all ingredients.

Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit your baking sheet pan and place parchment on counter or workspace. Place dough in center and press down evenly with your hands to about 1-inch thick. Place another sheet of parchment on top of dough. Roll dough out between sheets of parchment to about 1/8-inch thick. Remove top sheet of parchment; transfer bottom parchment to baking pan. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutting wheel, cut into 1-inch squares, or desired size. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown, checking frequently. If crackers on outer edge begin browning more quickly, carefully remove those and transfer to a plate or rack. When crackers are done, remove from oven and leave on parchment paper until cool. Separate crackers and enjoy. Store cooled crackers in an air tight container.

Note: The ground golden flaxseeds and sesame seeds are added to give the crackers a slightly “grainy” texture. If you prefer not to use them, just substitute additional almond flour or meal in their place. The chipotle chile powder adds a smoky/spicy flavor. If you do not have chipotle chile powder, you can easily substitute regular chili powder (to taste) or use milder and sweeter ancho chili powder.

Serving Suggestion: These crackers are delicious to eat “as is” or topped with your favorite cheese. They are also great used as a dip cracker to scoop up hummus that’s been lightly dusted with smoked paprika, chopped fresh parsley and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.