Buckwheat Graham Crackers (GF, Vegan)

Seriously great graham crackers, if you like graham crackers. When I was little I used to have graham crackers with all sorts of things, like; peanut butter, frosting or apple sauce. I wouldn't eat it with the same kind of frosting on it today, but I still love them with any sort of smooth topping like that. These ones I made though to use for a graham cracker crust for a pie. Figured if I was going to make a pie, may as well make all of it from ingredients I like, right?

I edited this recipe from Nativas buckwheat graham cracker recipe.

36, 4 inch crackers

1/4 c flax seed, ground
1/2 c coconut sugar
3 TBS sucanat or turbinado sugar
*1 TBS maca (Optional, but recommended)
1/4 c coconut oil
*5 drops vanilla stevia, optional
2 cups buckwheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/4 c agave nectar
2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Optional: Sugar mixed with cinnamon for topping

Directions
Mix together all dry ingredients. Then add in the the wet ingredients, and mix together with a mixer until a dough ball is formed. If the dough is too dry you can add a little more almond milk, one tsp at a time. Dough will be kind of sticky.
Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put half of the chilled dough on a large piece of parchment paper then put a second piece of parchment paper on top, then use a rolling pin to flatten it out – about 1/8 inch thick. Place on a baking sheet, and carefully remove top layer of parchment. Using a butter knife, cut the dough into rectangles then use a fork to make those necessary graham cracker holes. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, if using. After first batch is done, repeat with second dough half or do at the same time and place on a second baking sheet. Bake crackers for 22-25 minutes or until dried out but not burned.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then place crackers on a wire rack to finish cooling and become crisper. They will stay good in an airtight container for about 2 weeks, if they stay around that long.

Almond Five-Spice Snaps (Vegan)

A lot like ginger snaps, but a few other spices in the mix and the ginger is much more down played. I believe they would be enjoyed by people who like ginger snaps, as well as those who don't. They make awesome ice cream sandwich ends!

I made a few minor changes to this recipe that I got from "Eat, Drink and Be Vegan". So, thanks Dreena Burton!

Makes 12-15 cookies

1 C spelt flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 C sucanat (or turbinano sugar, or other unrefined sugar)
2 Tbs chopped almonds
1/4 tsp RealSalt
1 1/2 tsp five-spice powder (*What's in five-spice?  Also called chinese 5-spice powder)
1/3 C agave nectar
3/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 C olive oil
1-2 TBS sucanat

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl mix together wet ingredients until well mixed. Add wet mixture to dry, and stir until combined well, but don't over mix. Mixture will be semidry. Put some parchment paper on a cookie sheet, and scoop tablespoon size balls onto it.  After all balls are laid out, press each down slightly and add sprinkle of sugar. Bake for 10 min then remove from the oven and let sit for about 1 min, then transfer to a cooling rack. If you leave the cookies in longer than 10 min, they will get dry.