Hi Bakers,

Should you make your own seeded crackers, or is it a waste of time? I get so mad eating expensive and tasteless gluten-free crackers, so I decided to try making them myself…but was it worth it??

I would 100% make these again; my only complaint is that I wanted them to be crisper. I loved the simple way they came together and the healthful ingredients in them.

The pumpkin and pumpkin spice with seeds and dried cranberries were festive and delicious. These crackers are a beautiful gluten-free addition to any winter table. Thinking of trying them? Here are my thoughts to help you decide. PS: After writing this, I’m heading downstairs to make another batch right now! Enjoy! Carolyn

Pros:

pretty

taste good

easy to make

free of gluten, dairy, egg, grains

full of fiber and nutritious

Cons:

long bake time (more like drying)

not as crisp as I hoped

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cranberry Holiday Seed Crackers

Modified from Tasty, Thrifty, Timely’s Recipe for Seeded Crackers

Makes two 10” x 15” sheets of crackers (to be broken apart)

Dry Ingredients

1/4 cup blanched almond flour

1/2 cup golden flax seeds, ground

1/4 cup black chia seeds

1/3 cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/8 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

3/4 cup water

1/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 275F. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl. Pour wet ingredients over the dry and mix thoroughly, making sure there are no dry spots. You may need to scrape the bowl with a spatula to get everything combined. Smooth the surface of the dough and let it hydrate for 15 minutes. Divide the dough in half and spread it onto a sheet of parchment paper. Make the dough into a flat rectangle as thin as possible. I like to cover the dough with another sheet of parchment** and roll it out. Remove the top sheet of parchment and smooth the top of the dough if needed. Sprinkle with salt if desired. Bake for about 2o minutes and then rotate the pans in the oven. Continue cooking for another 20 minutes or until the crackers are browned at the edges and dry to the touch. Cool in the oven to dry them out even more. Break cooled crackers into pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Want to try the dip I made too?

Easy Hot Honey Dip: Take a block of whipped and softened cream cheese (or dairy-free) and top it with 1 tablespoon of Trader Joe’s Chili Onion Crunch (or other chili oil) mixed with 3 tablespoons of honey. Garnish with some cranberries, rosemary, and a bunch of your seeded crackers too.

**Parchment paper is essential; without it, the dough sticks to the rolling pin and is hard to get thin enough to crisp.

Hi Bakers,

My son and his girlfriend went to the Farmer’s Market and brought back a beautiful pumpkin roll cake. It looked so good, I thought why haven’t I made one?? Oh yes, I remember I was terrified to try and roll a cake in a cylinder. I’m not sure if I got brave or just desperate to have a bite of this cake! This is my first attempt at making it and revising the recipe to be gluten-free too. Make this cake if you love a moist, sweet pumpkin cake with lots of rich cream cheese and butter icing. I would 100% make this cake again because it’s so tasty, quick to mix together, and pretty forgiving too! Enjoy~Carolyn

Tips Before Baking:

• Don’t use two sheets of parchment paper; the cake cracked at the seam
• Spread the cake batter evenly in the pan so it bakes
• Roll the cake slowly while hot and cool seam side down on a rack
• frost cake all the way to the edges
• Keep the frosted cake tightly wrapped in plastic while cooling

Needed Equipment:

jelly roll pan, 10”x 15”

parchment paper large enough to cover the bottom of the pan

Foil or plastic wrap (best)

Optional Equipment:

small offset spatula (helps smooth batter in an even layer

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Butter Icing

Modified for gluten-free from Tastes Better From Scratch’s Recipe

Dry Ingredients

3/4 cup Cup4Cup Brand Multipurpose Flour (original blend with milk powder**)

1/2 teaspoon sweet rice flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon cloves

Wet Ingredients

3 large eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup pumpkin puree (Libby’s preferred)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Icing

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1 8-ounce block of cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10”x 15” jelly-roll pan and line with parchment paper. Press the paper into the pan so it sticks in place, and then, grease the top of the paper too.

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside. Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl and then add the dry and stirring just until mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly to the edges. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until the top of the cake springs back. You can also use a toothpick; cake is done when the toothpick comes clean. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a heat-proof surface. Gently remove the cake from the jelly-roll pan and slide it onto a flat surface. You may have to cut around a few of the edges to free it. Starting with the short edge, slowly the cake with the parchment into a tight cylinder and secure by placing edge side down on a rack until completely cool.

Combine the icing ingredients together while the cake is cooling. Beat butter and cream cheese together with a mixer until smooth. Next, mix in the sugar and vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl and mix until totally combined. Gently unroll the cake and frost the entire cake gently with a spoon or offset spatula. Try to get as even a layer as possible. Re-roll the frosted cake and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil until chilled for at least 1 hour. Plate the cake by unrolling and dusting liberally with powdered sugar. Slice gently with a serrated knife and enjoy. Cake keeps well wrapped for up to 3 days. Enjoy!

** If you have trouble finding this flour in stores, check online. I buy mine on Amazon.

Hi Bakers,

Not quite ready for Fall and all things pumpkin spice?? Get one last taste of summer in this classic dessert remixed. If you love coconut and pineapple, this might be the recipe for you! Just because you don’t normally put it in a shortcake doesn’t mean you shouldn’t!…and I put this to the test, adding lime-infused pineapple instead of strawberry with gluten-free coconut shortcakes. Try this if you want sweet, limey pineapple with lots of whipped cream over tender and buttery shortcakes. Get the taste of a pina colada in every bite. Enjoy! ~Carolyn

Gluten-Free Coconut Pineapple Shortcakes

DRY

Makes nine 3” shortcakes

2 cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour*

1/2 cup finely shredded coconut, chopped fine

1 teaspoon Koda Farms Sweet Rice Flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks

WET

1 large egg

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

2/3 cup full-fat coconut milk, stirred

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon lime zest

Filling

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

5 cups freshly cut pineapple in small chunks

1 tablespoon granulated sugar (Optional)

Topping

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Optional: cream and sugar to brush on top before baking shortcakes

Preheat the oven to 400°F and place the rack in the middle position. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, coconut, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Add the cold butter and cut it into the dry mixture until it resembles crumbs and only a few larger bits of butter remain. Place the bowl in the refrigerator.

In a medium bowl, combine the egg, applesauce, coconut milk, zest, and lime juice. Pour the wet ingredients slowly into the dry ingredients, adding just enough to form a thick dough that is sticky but can still be rolled out into shapes. You may have some of the wet left over. The dough will be very soft, but it can be shaped with a bit of care. Scrape the dough out onto a floured counter and pat it into a large circle. The height of the dough should be about 3/4 inches tall. Cut into shapes using a cookie cutter, I used one about 3 inches wide. Re-roll the dough scraps and cut out as many shortcakes as you can. Repeat until you don’t have any dough. This recipe makes ~9 shortcakes. Place the shortcakes on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and brush with cream. Sprinkle with sugar if desired. Shortcakes will brown much better if you brush them with cream. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until browned on top and firm in the middle. Cool on a rack.

Wash and slice 4-5 cups of fresh pineapple into small chunks, and add 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar if desired. Stir to combine. Set aside.

Whip chilled heavy cream in a high-sided bowl with a 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1-2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Whip until it forms stiff peaks.

Assemble shortcakes by cutting them in half and spooning pineapple on the base, top with whipped cream, and garnish with mint if desired. Eat immediately!

Vegan variation:

-Use another gluten-free flour blend that does not contain milk powder. I like Cup4Cup Ancient grains flour for a heartier taste, or any gluten-free King Arthur Flour

-Use non-dairy butter, I like Miyoko’s brand in the stick, not the tub

-Use egg-substitute or about 31/4 T more milk in place of an egg

*Check the ingredient list of this flour blend (it contains milk powder) for possible allergens so you can bake safely!