High Protein Powerhouse Crackers

Name: High Protein Powerhouse Crackers
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 14
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup split mung beans; 4 tbsp rolled oats; 1 carrot; 3 tbsp sunflower seeds; 3 tbsp hemp hearts; 2 tbsp sesame seeds; 1/4 cup cheese; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp onion powder

⏱️ Prep: 18m

🔥 Cook: 30m

👥 Servings: 14

These flourless, high-protein crackers are a crunchy and satisfying snack made from real whole ingredients. Crafted primarily from soaked split mung beans, they offer a nutritious alternative to traditional crackers. The recipe is eggless and can be made oil-free, though a light drizzle of olive oil is suggested for extra crispness. With a blend of grated carrots, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, sesame seeds, and savory spices, these crackers are packed with flavor and texture. They are designed to be rolled thin for maximum crunch and are perfect for storing in an airtight jar for up to a week.

Instructions

Soak mung beans for 3–4 hours or overnight. Wash your soaked split mung beans thoroughly in cold water and drain them completely in a strainer. Transfer the drained mung beans directly into your blender or food processor. Do not add any water or oil. Blend continuously until it transforms into a completely smooth, thick, and clean paste.
Transfer the smooth mung bean paste into a mixing bowl. Add the finely grated carrots, finely chopped sunflower seeds, roasted sesame seeds, and the entire savory spice blend (salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder). Mix everything together thoroughly until the spices and seeds are evenly distributed.
Add the rolled oats and the cheese into the bowl. Use your hands to gently mix and press everything together until a soft dough forms. No heavy kneading is required—just bring the ingredients together into a cohesive ball. Do not panic if the dough feels quite soft; it is meant to be soft and will firm up beautifully while baking.
Drizzle a few drops of olive oil onto a large sheet of parchment paper and spread it thin. Divide your dough into two batches for easier handling. Place the first batch on the parchment paper, place another sheet of parchment paper on top, and roll the dough out as thin as possible for the maximum crunch. Remove the top sheet of parchment and use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to slice the dough into your desired cracker sizes. Repeat with the second batch. This should yield around 80 to 90 crackers in total depending on your cut size.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Slide your parchment paper sheets with the cut crackers onto baking trays. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges are golden brown. If using a traditional oven with active top and bottom heating rods, keep the temperature at 350°F (180°C) but start checking on them closely after 10 to 15 minutes to prevent over-browning.
For an extra shattering crunch, turn the oven down to 325°F (160°C) and switch it to a quick broil for 2 to 3 minutes right at the end. Watch them carefully during this step to prevent burning! Let them cool completely on the tray, where they will continue to crisp up, before storing them in a glass jar.

💡 Chef’s Notes

The dough will feel soft, which is normal; it firms up after baking. You can freeze it for an hour to firm it up if desired. No water or oil is needed in the dough itself, but lightly greasing parchment paper or adding a few drops of oil can enhance flavor and crispness. Rolled oats are optional but aid in binding. For extra crunch, roll the dough thinner and bake slightly longer. Store fully cooled crackers in an airtight jar at room temperature for 7-8 days. If they lose crispness in humid weather, reheat them in an oven or air fryer for 3-5 minutes. Always preheat the oven fully, roll dough evenly thin for uniform crispness, and rotate trays halfway if edges brown faster. Broiling is optional but provides extra crunch. Ensure crackers cool completely before storing to maintain crisp texture.

My Personal Experience:
What you see in the video is exactly how this oil-free batch turned out! Because the recipe contains cheese, the natural fats are enough to give them a great crunch without any added oil. I actually tested a few different variations: one small batch without any flour, and another where I added oil and extra cheese. They all work perfectly but give different textures—adding the extra cheese and oil definitely makes them much more crispy and light, while the oil-free version is more deeply crunchy. Just make sure to follow all the tips like rolling them thin, keeping a close eye on the baking since ovens vary, and you can add a little oat flour or skip it based on the texture you prefer!
Air-fryer Bake:
Bake at the same temperature (180°C / 350°F), it just takes less time! Spread the dough thin on parchment paper and air fry for about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure to make in small batches , don’t over crowd the basket and carefully flip them halfway through and remove the parchment paper for the last 2 minutes so they cook evenly. Because the cooking time is shorter, adding a bit more cheese or a splash of oil to the dough really helps them cook through and crisp up fast! Just keep a close eye on them since air fryers move quickly.

Storage Tips:
Room Temperature: Keep in an airtight container for at least 1 week.
Refrigerator: Store for up to 2 weeks.
Freezer: Keep frozen for 2 to 3 months.

Hope yours turn out the way you wanted 💚