Hi everyone! I hope you had a lovely weekend and your Monday is going well. Mondays always feel busy — my feed reader fills up overnight, there are posts to write that were postponed over the weekend, and the house inevitably needs tidying. Little kids, a kiddie pool and fresh-cut grass somehow equal a messy home. Who knew?
I actually made these crackers last week. The week before, our coffee table was broken by a toddler. While it was still usable, it wasn’t safe, so I couldn’t use it for my usual photos. For this shoot I used my son’s toy box as a backdrop, which turned out to be a perfect little ocean scene. My husband has since built a new table, and I can’t wait to bring it inside and stain it for future photos.
The edges of my crackers aren’t perfectly smooth because of the whole grains—the bran doesn’t cut cleanly. You can trim the edges after cutting if you prefer a neater look, but it isn’t necessary. If you want to be playful, use a toothpick to add little eyes and mouths to the fish, though that’s optional.
If you’ve ever wanted fish-shaped crackers, you know a proper goldfish cookie cutter can be expensive or hard to find. I followed a clever DIY tutorial I found and made my own cutters from empty soda cans. It’s simple and fun, and lets you create any size or shape you like.
Here’s a basic walkthrough: cut a strip from around an empty soda can with scissors, no wider than about 3/4″. Be careful—the edges can be sharp. Depending on the can and how large you want the fish, you may not need the entire section; you can shorten the piece later. It’s a good idea to cut the can into several strips since some may break. Have fun experimenting with different shapes and sizes.
In the first image, the space between the two folds decides the fish’s body size. In the second image, the distance between the first and second folds determines the tail length.
In the third image, I used tape to hold the cutter together; staples also work if the piece is large enough. I made most of mine fairly small — in fact, I made a lot. You can sketch a fish shape on the metal and fold accordingly. Just avoid folding the same spot too many times, or the metal will break.
With your homemade cutter ready, you can turn any cracker dough into little fish. I used a whole-wheat cracker recipe, adding a pinch of garlic powder and paprika for a subtle savory note. These crackers are buttery and rich — a lovely special treat rather than an every-day snack.
We keep these crackers on hand frequently because we love them. I’ve also made them with spelt flour using the original recipe, which is excellent, but I usually have more whole wheat on hand, so I tend to make this version more often.
Vegan Goldfish Crackers
Adapted slightly from a popular cheezy cracker recipe
- 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- Pinch garlic powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tbsp lukewarm water, plus 1–2 tbsp more if needed
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a medium bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder and sea salt. Add the olive oil and 4 tablespoons of lukewarm water and mix until combined. If dry flour remains, add another tablespoon of water and mix again. Remove the dough from the bowl and knead briefly, then divide it in half.
Flour your work surface and rolling pin, then roll each portion to about 1/8″ thickness. Cut into fish shapes with your homemade cutter or trim the edges and cut into squares. Transfer pieces to a parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheet and bake for 18–20 minutes, turning the pan halfway through. Allow the crackers to cool completely on the baking sheet before storing in an airtight container.
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself 😉