Cranberry Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps with Cranberry Hazelnut Cream Cheese Spread

When I found this recipe at More Than Burnt Toast I jumped up and down for joy because this is one of my favorite crackers, and I have been looking for a special appetizer to serve during the coming holiday season. I've purchased these spendy treats at Whole Foods for special occasions, but there aren't many in a box and we always run out before we've had our fill.  Thanks, Val, for sharing this wonderful recipe.  It's one I will make over and over. Many of my readers already know Val, and if you haven't met her I encourage you to stop by.  Her blog is a joy to visit.



This is a savory cracker and the dried cranberries add just enough sweetness to make it a nice addition to a cheese board before or after a special meal.  I prepared a spread of cream cheese, several spoonfuls of whole berry cranberry sauce and some toasted chopped hazelnuts in the above photo and this mixture is simply delicious on these wonderful crackers.  A wedge of brie or cambozola cheese is fantastic as well.  Add an apple, pear and a cluster of grapes and your guests will love you.









Cranberry Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps





2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups buttermilk

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

1 cup dried cranberries or raisins

1/2 cup hazelnuts or pecans, lightly chopped

1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitos)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup flax seed

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.



In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Add the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes.  Add the raisins, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed and rosemary and stir just until blended.



Pour the batter into two 8"x4" loaf pans or 4 small loaf pans (I used 5-3/4"x3") that have been sprayed with nonstick spray.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.  (I like these crackers very crisp so for my second batch I reduced the temperature to 300 (275 F. convection) and baked them for 20 minutes on each side and they were perfect.  Watch that they don't get too brown.  Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.



The cooler the bread, the easier it is to slice really thin.  You can leave it until the next day or pop it into the refrigerator. (I refrigerated the loaves overnight and they sliced perfectly the next day). Slice the loaves as thin as you can and place the slices in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet.   Reduce oven heat to 300 degrees F. (I turned the heat down to 250 degrees) and bake the slices for another 10 minutes on each side.



Makes about 6 dozen crackers.