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Rye Fennel Crackers for #BreadBakers

January 13, 2015 By Renee 13 Comments

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Rye Fennel Crackers | Magnolia Days

Crafts and crafting are widely popular. The array of supplies and tools is astounding. I have to admit I am terribly craft challenged. What looks so simple to do is beyond my ability. This is why it is extremely doubtful you will ever see artistically decorated cakes here. Of course one reason is how much I do not like fondant. The other is because the likelihood of me making a fondant flower look like a flower is somewhere between zero and none. Perfect example is these Rye Fennel Crackers. They were supposed to be diamond shaped. They wound up being off-squared. I mean, really, who can’t cut dough into diamonds? That would be me.

These crackers had a separate challenge. The theme for this month’s Bread Bakers was rye with the stipulation of no refined ingredients. Wait, what? No all-purpose flour or regular sugar? Nope. So my quest began with finding out more about unrefined food. I needed to know which flours and sweeteners met the guidelines. After some lengthy online research, I settled on using white whole wheat flour along with rye flour and turbinado sugar.

Rye Fennel Crackers | Magnolia Days

Making rye fennel crackers was easier than expected. It was my first time making crackers and that also put a separate adventure point in the mix. I’ve thought about making different ones for years and yet seemed to pass on it. After this experience I plan to dust off the recipe for sourdough crackers I’ve been holding on to for the longest time.

Rye Fennel Crackers | Magnolia Days

One note on making the crackers: do batches of brushing with egg white and sprinkling with fennel seeds. I brushed all the crackers with egg white first and then sprinkled on the seeds. I think the egg white soaked into the crackers and wasn’t enough left on the surface to act as the glue for the seeds. The result made the seeds easily fall off after baking. So do a few at a time to get them to stick better.

How do the crackers taste? They have a buttery, light rye flavor. The amount of fennel flavor depends on how many seeds are on each cracker. They are crunchy as crackers should be yet not as hard as store-bought ones. I’ll eat them simply as-is for a snack instead of using them as a base for a spread.

Rye Fennel Crackers | Magnolia Days

Do you enjoy rye bread? If so, be sure to scroll down to find a list of recipes by Bread Bakers. Our host this month is Anshie at Spiceroots. A big thank you to her for giving us this great challenge. I really enjoyed the adventure of rye, unrefined food, and crackers. If you like fennel, take a look at Seared Cod with Grapefruit Fennel Slaw for a healthy and light meal.

Rye Fennel Crackers | Magnolia Days
5 from 1 vote
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Rye Fennel Crackers

Rye fennel crackers are a healthy and wonderful snack made with unrefined ingredients; rye and whole wheat flours, butter, egg, and fennel seeds.
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 dozen
Author Renee

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/4 cups rye flour
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter softened and diced
  • 6 to 8 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 egg white beaten
  • Fennel seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  2. Place flours, sugar, salt, and dry mustard in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a knife blade. Pulse until combined.
  3. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles a coarse meal.
  4. Sprinkle water, 1 tablespoon at a time, over surface and pulse until dry ingredients are moistened.
  5. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and shape into a disk.
  6. Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Move dough around while rolling to keep from sticking from work surface.
  7. Cut dough into 1- to 1 1/2-inch squares or diamonds using a fluted pastry cutter.
  8. Place cut dough on ungreased baking sheets about 1/2-inch apart. Brush with egg whites and sprinkle tops lightly with fennel seeds.
  9. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
  10. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Notes

Rye fennel crackers are a healthy and wonderful snack made with unrefined ingredients; rye and whole wheat flours, butter, egg, and fennel seeds.

Recipe adapted from one in the Southern Living 1987 Annual Recipes cookbook (no longer in print).

This month Bread Bakers is celebrating rye. Take a look at all these wonderful recipes from bakers across the globe:

  • Artisan Dark Rye Bread by Cindy at Cindy’s Recipes and Writing
  • Banana Rye Muffins by Adam at Bakers and Best
  • Boston Brown Bread by Holly at A Baker’s House
  • Caraway Rye Crackers with Reuben Spread by Jenni at Pastry Chef Online
  • Danish Rye Bread by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm
  • Hapanleipä – Finnish Sour Rye Bread by Robin at A Shaggy Dough Story
  • Pain d’Epices by Laura at Baking in Pyjamas
  • Potato Onion Rye Meteil by Karen at Karen’s Kitchen Stories
  • Rye and Chocolate Bread by Rocío at Kidsandchic
  • Rye and Whole Wheat Bread by Kelly at Passion Kneaded
  • Rye Fennel Crackers by Renee at Magnolia Days
  • Slow Cooker Boston Brown Bread by Mireille at Chef Mireille’s East West Realm
  • Sourdough Rye Bread by Anshie at Spice Roots
  • Swedish Rye Bread (Limpa) by Nicole at The 2nd 35 Years
  • Tangzhong Rye Bread by Stacy at Food Lust People Love

Bread BakersWhat is Bread Bakers? It’s a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely bread by following our Bread Bakers Pinterest Board. Links are also updated after each event on the Bread Bakers home page.

How is the monthly theme determined? We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Would you like to join in the fun? If you are a food blogger, send an email with your blog name and url to Stacy at [email protected].

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Filed Under: Breads Tagged With: bread, crackers, recipe, rye

« Crab Casserole for Two for #SundaySupper
Chocolate Italian Cake for #BundtBakers »

Comments

  1. Jenni says

    January 13, 2015 at 7:42 am

    I love the combination of fennel with rye! Slightly unexpected but perfect, Renee. And that bit of mustard powder in the dough? Also perfect. And diamonds are overrated… =)

    Reply
  2. Stacy says

    January 13, 2015 at 7:48 am

    Rats! Totally forgot about the no sugar rule! And I certainly could have a used various things to substitute as I only used two tablespoons. Your crackers look like my perfect snack, Renee! Never mind the non-diamond. I am enamored of their pinking shears edges and the fennel toasted on top.

    Reply
  3. Ansh says

    January 13, 2015 at 9:34 am

    Have been in serious bread envy since you gave us a sneak peak. These are gorgeous and perfect diamonds are boring anyways. I will try these soon.

    Reply
  4. Wendy, A Day in the Life on the Farm says

    January 13, 2015 at 9:40 am

    Renee you definitely get my vote for Best of Show.

    Reply
  5. Adam says

    January 13, 2015 at 9:57 am

    Fennel is probably my favorite spice, so this is great to add to my recipe list! I tried making homemade wheat thins once and found it so horrifyingly tedious to roll out the dough so thin and cut everything. But, these are thicker and much more special!

    Reply
  6. Cindys Recipes and Writings says

    January 13, 2015 at 12:19 pm

    I need these to go with all the cheese I’ve been stockpiling! Snack happy!

    Reply
  7. Holly says

    January 13, 2015 at 12:32 pm

    I’ve had a rye cracker of sorts in England– is it Rye-vita? or something like that? and I like it as an alternative to using bread on a sandwich. I don’t care what share your crackers ended up, they look great!

    Reply
  8. Robin @ A Shaggy Dough Story says

    January 13, 2015 at 1:28 pm

    Oooh, I was waiting breathlessly for your post ever since you showed us the teaser and you did not disappoint! These look beyond awesome and I can’t wait to try them. Your photos are GORGEOUS!

    Reply
  9. Nicole says

    January 13, 2015 at 7:31 pm

    What a unique take on the challenge! And who cares if they are crooked?!

    Reply
  10. Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories says

    January 13, 2015 at 10:05 pm

    I am totally making these. I couldn’t wait to see them! I love using white whole wheat. These are beautiful!!!

    Reply
  11. Rocio says

    January 14, 2015 at 11:10 am

    What good biscuits with fennel

    Reply
  12. [email protected] in Pyjamas says

    January 14, 2015 at 5:07 pm

    Those crackers are perfect Renee, I’d love to reach through my screen and eat some. I totally missed the part about the refined ingredients, whoops!

    Reply
  13. Maureen says

    January 14, 2015 at 5:07 pm

    5 stars
    These are gorgeous! When I saw them on twitter my heart skipped a beat. Homemade crackers really make an impression when you have guests. 🙂 Outstanding!

    Reply

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