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The BEST Japanese Rice Crackers Recipe (Senbei)

These crunchy and savory Japanese rice crackers (Senbei) are an ideal snack or appetizer seasoned with togarashi, sesame seeds, and furikake. Adapted with easy, gluten-free swaps to make these rice crackers gluten-free!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: snacks
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: gluten free, homemade, japanese rice crackers, senbei
Author: Remy

Ingredients

  • Rice Crackers
  • 120 grams sweet glutinous rice flour mochiko
  • 40 grams cooked short grain white rice
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp neutral vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1-2 tbsp furikake seasoning
  • Seasonings
  • 1 tbsp tamari gluten free soy sauce
  • 2 tsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
  • shichimi togarashi japanese chili powder, to taste
  • unseasoned nori
  •  

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375F.
  • In a food processor, pulse rice flour, cooked rice, salt, and oil until you achieve a coarse powder. Then stream in water as you continue to run the food processor.
  • Transfer the mixture into a mixing bowl, add furikake seasoning to taste, and toss to combine with a spatula. Using your hands, press together the mixture. It should hold together once pressure is applied, even if the mixture looks dry at first.
  • Take golf ball-sized scoops of the mixture, press them between your hands to compress and then form into a ball. Place the ball between 2 sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to flatten it down as much as possible. Gently peel the top layer of parchment paper off and use a cookie cutter or other circular item to cut a circle.
  • Transfer the circle onto a nonstick baking mat-lined tray and repeat with the remaining dough.
  • Bake for about 10 minutes, flip and bake for another 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp.
  • Mix together tamari and mirin in a small cup and whisk together to combine. Brush a layer of this glaze on top of both sides of each cracker piece, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. If adding nori, slice thin rectangle pieces to wrap around the cracker. Return the crackers to the oven and bake for an additional 3-4 minutes.
  • Allow the crackers to cool completely before enjoying them. Cooking time may vary based on the width of your crackers.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Japan Centre's Homemade Senbei Rice Crackers recipe. Some ingredients were substituted to be made gluten free and measurements adjusted.
Serving: Serve your senbei with a warm cup of green tea for an authentic afternoon snack. 
Swaps: If you aren’t gluten-free, feel free to use regular, low-sodium soy sauce. 
Storage: Store leftover crackers in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature.