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Protein crackers recipe without oil is healthy, vegan friendly and gluten-free. What is more, these oatmeal crackers are so easy that they come together in a blender.
I am a sucker for crackers. Whenever I buy crackers, I have to keep myself from eating the whole box. But the thing is, I just can’t – so I end up devouring the whole thing. And we all know that packaged snacks are not the healthiest option.
That’s why I came up with this protein crackers recipe with oats. My oatmeal crackers are oil-free, nut-free, gluten-free, high in fibers and, of course, high protein. 12 grams per serving! Crazy, isn’t it?!
Protein sources
12 grams per serving, yes, you got it right. But before you start questioning my words, let me explain.
All the ingredients in this oatmeal protein crackers recipe are high in protein. Some more than others. Here’s the protein content of each single ingredient, ranked from highest to lowest:
- Protein powder – 87 grams of protein per 100 grams
- Pumpkin seeds – 19 grams protein per 100 grams
- Flaxseeds – 18 grams protein per 100 grams
- Rolled oats – 16.9 grams protein per 100 grams
- Milk – 3.4 grams protein per 100 grams
For this cracker recipe I used whey isolate protein powder, which in general have more protein than plant based alternatives.
The type of milk that you use also plays a role. Dairy, soy and pea milk contain slightly more protein than most dairy-free alternatives (such as oat, rice or almond milk).
Ingredients for protein oat crackers
This homemade protein crackers recipe uses a handful of healthy and wholesome ingredients only.
- Rolled oats. These are the flat oat flakes that you normally find at the grocery store. Make sure that you use certified gluten-free rolled oats, if required.
- Pumpkin seeds. I recommend using unsalted natural pumpkin seeds. They are healthier and will not alter the taste of your oat crackers.
- Flaxseeds. Besides being highly nutritious, flaxseeds are also the best vegan egg replacement. When blended, they form a “jelly” texture which is great for binding the crackers batter.
- Unflavored protein powder. For more protein, this oil-free crackers recipe uses a scoop of protein powder. You can utilize whey or plant based alternatives, as long as the powder is unflavored and unsweetened. For my crackers I used natural whey protein. Replace with more oats if you don’t have protein powder.
- Sea salt. This will make your protein crackers flavorsome and irresistible. Consider using iodine enriched salt for more healthy benefits.
- Milk of choice. This recipe uses unsweetened pea milk but you can replace with any milk of your choice – dairy or dairy free – as long as it is unsweetened and unflavored.
Additional seasonings
And if you want to make these protein crackers even more delicious, try blending in your favorite spices and seasonings.
Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasonings are my favorite!
How to make oil-free crackers at home
You will be surprised by how easy making this protein crackers recipe is! You only need a blender, an oven and no more than 30 minutes of your day (baking time aside).
Here’s how to make these protein crackers with oats.
- Add rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, protein powder, sea salt and baking powder to a high speed blender. Pour in milk of choice and process until smooth – the oats should have now become flour.
- After blending, let protein oat cracker batter rest for five minutes.
- Line a 20 x 30 cm (9 x 13 inches) baking pan with parchment paper. Spread over the pan protein crackers dough as thin as possible. Try to evenly spread batter, so that the oat crackers can bake uniformly. If desired, sprinkle top with pumpkin seeds.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove pan from the oven and cut crackers sheet into small squares.
- After cutting, bake protein crackers for additional 18 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy. But do not over-bake, they will get crispier while cooling.
- Allow oil-free protein crackers to cool before serving.
How to store protein oat crackers
After baking, allow your protein oat crackers to cool completely. When your crackers have cooled, place them in an air tight food container or zipper bag and store at room temperature. They stay fresh for up to 4 days.
As an alternative you can also seal your oatmeal protein crackers in an airtight food container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Before serving, all you need to do is popping your protein snacks in the oven for a couple of minutes!
FAQ – Frequently asked questions
Yes, of course you can. Protein powder is easily replaceable with more rolled oats. And don’t worry, your oat crackers will still be quite high protein.
Yes, these oat crackers are vegan if you make this recipe with plant based protein powder and dairy-free milk
To make gluten-free protein crackers make this recipe using certified gluten-free rolled oats and gluten-free protein powder. Just make sure that you double check the label on the package of all ingredients, if you are not sure.
The protein content and amino acid profile are indeed slightly higher for whey protein. But this does not make much of a difference between protein crackers with whey and vegan protein powder.
Looking for healthy sides and wraps
Try these recipes!
Protein Crackers Recipe without Oil
Ingredients
- 100 grams (1 cup) rolled oats (gluten-free if required)
- 40 grams (1/3 cup) pumpkin seeds
- 40 grams (1/4 cup) flaxseeds
- 30 grams (1/3 cup) unflavored protein powder (or more oats, see notes*)
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 tsp baking powder
- 200 to 230 ml (4/5 to 1 cup) unsweetened plant milk (see notes*)
Optional Seasonings
- smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, curry
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 Cº (350 Fº).
- Add rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, protein powder, sea salt and baking powder to a high speed blender. Pour in milk of choice and process until smooth – the oats should have now become flour.
- After blending, let protein oat cracker batter rest for five minutes.
- Line a 20 x 30 cm (9 x 13 inches) baking pan with parchment paper. Spread over the pan protein crackers dough as thin as possible. Try to evenly spread batter, so that the oat crackers can bake uniformly. If desired, sprinkle top with pumpkin seeds.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then remove pan from the oven and cut crackers sheet into small squares.
- After cutting, bake protein crackers for additional 18 to 25 minutes, or until golden and crispy. But do not over-bake, they will get crispier while cooling.
- Allow oil-free protein crackers to cool before serving.
Notes
- You can make this protein crackers recipe with unflavored whey protein or unflavored plant protein. However, based on the protein powder that you utilize you may need more or less milk (see note 3 for more details).
- Replace unsweetened plant milk with dairy milk.
- Quantity of milk depends on protein powder utilized. Whey protein powder requires around 200 ml (4/5 cup) milk whereas vegan protein powders may require more milk, up to 230 ml (or 1 cup). Recipe gives 6 servings of 5 crackers each.
