Christmas Spiced Crackers with Savoury Seeds

Traditional Chinese Medicine Perspective

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, winter calls for warmth, rest, and nourishment — a season to turn inward and replenish our deeper reserves. These Christmas Spiced Crackers with Savoury Seeds bring together gently Yang-warming spices, Yin-nourishing fruits and Qi-tonifying seeds to harmonise the body and support digestion.

The aromatic blend of cinnamon, ginger and clove stokes inner warmth and circulation, while nuts and seeds strengthen the Kidneys and Liver, grounding the spirit and replenishing energy. A touch of orange zest moves Qi and lifts the mood, bringing lightness to the darker days.

A perfect winter snack in festive form — warming, balancing and deeply comforting.

NRQi Studio's recipe for Christmas Spiced Crackers with Savoury Seeds.

You’ll Need

  • 240 grams plain flour

  • 60 grams packed brown sugar

  • 2 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 480 ml buttermilk

  • 2 tbsp honey

  • 2 tbsp black treacle / molasses

  • 65 grams roughly chopped dried cranberries

  • 65 grams roughly chopped dried apples

  • 65 grams chopped pecans

  • 65 grams chopped walnuts

  • 35 grams sesame seeds

  • 35 grams golden flax seeds

  • 65 grams pumpkin seeds (the small green ones)

  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 tbsp ground ginger

  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves

  • dash ground cardamom

  • 1/2 tsp orange zest

Instructions

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1hour 5minutes
Cooling + Freezing Time: 1hour 30minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes
Serves: (20 people - 4 crackers each)

Step 1 - Prepping:

  • Begin by setting the oven to 180°C.

  • Mix the flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

  • Add the buttermilk, honey and black treacle and combine thoroughly.

  • Mix the dried fruit, seeds, spices and orange zest together in another mixing bowl and then once mixed, add them to the flour and buttermilk mixture.

  • Finally, thoroughly combine all the ingredients together and pour the batter evenly among 4 greased 6inch mini loaf tins

Step 2 - Baking the Loaves:

  • Place the 4 mini loaf tins on a rack that is centred in the heated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes at 180°C.

  • Allow the loaves to cool for 30 minutes.

Step 3 - Freezing the Loaves:

  • Place the loaves in the freezer once cooled for an hour.

Four loaves of NRQi Studio's Christmas Spiced Crackers with Savoury Seeds baking in the oven.

Step 4 - Slicing the Loaves:

  • Thinly slice the loaves into 1/2cm slices using a bread knife.

  • Place the slices on a lined baking tray.

Step 5 - Baking the Slices

  • Set the oven to 170°C and bake the slices for 15 minutes on one side and 10 minutes on the other. Monitor the slices so they don't burn.

  • The slices are fully baked when each side is subtly brown and crispy to the touch.

Slices of NRQi Studio's Christmas Spiced Crackers with Savoury Seeds.

Serving Suggestions:

  • Best enjoyed fresh from the oven with a cup of ginger or orange peel tea to warm the Stomach, move Qi and enhance digestion.

    A simple, comforting way to nourish body and spirit through the winter season.

What the Research Says…

Pumpkin Seed Research — “Nutritional and Therapeutic Properties of Pumpkin Seeds: A Comprehensive Review”
By M. Patel, S. Naik, and R. Desai (Frontiers in Nutrition, 2023)

Read the full research paper on PubMed →

Sesame Seed Research — “Therapeutic Potential of Sesame (Sesamum indicum): A Review of Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Cardioprotective Effects”
By M. S. Fahim, R. H. Abdel-Rahman, and L. Chen (Frontiers in Nutrition, 2022)

Read the full research paper here → PubMed

TCM Food Benefits

🌾 Plain Flour: Strengthens the Spleen & Stomach and builds Qi and energy.
🥛 Buttermilk: Gently nourishes Yin, supports digestion and harmonises the middle jiao.
🍯 Honey: Moistens dryness, soothes the Lungs and calms the spirit.
⚫️ Black Treacle / Molasses: Rich and grounding; nourishes Blood and supports recovery.
🍎 Dried Apples: Harmonise the Stomach, gently clear Heat and promote fluids.
🍒 Dried Cranberries: Move Liver Qi, refresh and lift the mood.
🌰 Pecans & Walnuts: Strengthen the Kidneys, tonify Yang and support vitality.
🎃 Pumpkin Seeds: Aid digestion, expel Damp and calm the mind.
🌻 Flax & Sesame Seeds: Nourish Liver Blood, moisten dryness and support healthy bowels.
🍊 Orange Zest: Moves Qi, harmonises digestion and uplifts the spirit.
🌿 Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove & Cardamom: Warm the interior, move Qi and Blood, dispel Cold and awaken the senses.
🍬 Brown Sugar: Warms and gently tonifies Qi, harmonising the overall flavour and energy.
🧂 Salt: Anchors the formula, supports the Kidneys and balances sweetness.
🌾 Baking Soda: Neutral in nature; helps with texture and digestive ease.

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