5. The blessing on Legume crackers:[1]

Legume flour which has been into crackers is Shehakol and Borei Nefashos.

6. Multi-grain – Mezonos products made of five grains and legumes:[4]

See Halacha 13 for the application of this subject regarding other foods that contains Mezonos ingredients, and Chapter 8 Halacha 6 regarding Hamotzi multi gran bread! Any non-bread product [i.e. cracker, biscuit, cake] that is made of only five grain flour is Mezonos and Al Hamichya. Any product that is made of only legume flour is Shehakol and Borei Nefashos.[5] The question is asked regarding a case that the food is made of both grain flour and legume flour, what blessing is to be recited?

Before blessing:[6] If the product is made of a mixture of five grain flour and legume flour then it’s before blessing is Mezonos[7] This applies even if the flour of the five grains is the minority ingredient and even if it contains less than a Kezayis of five grain flour within Achilas Peras. [If however a minute amount of five grain flour was added simply to strengthen the consistency of the legume dough and not for the sake of taste or satiation, then its blessing is Shehakol.[8]]

After blessing: If one mixed flour of one of the five grains together with flour of legumes and made food from it, then although the first blessing is Mezonos, as explained above, nevertheless, the after blessing is dependent on the amount of five grain flour that it contains. If it contains a Kezayis [27 grams] of 5 grain flour within Achilas Peras [174 grams, i.e. 16.7 %], then Al Hamichyah is to be recited after eating a Kezayis of the food within Achilas Peras [4 minutes].[9] [This applies even if he only eats a Kezayis of the food in total and not a Kezayis of the actual five grain flour.[10]] If however it does not contain a Kezayis [27 grams] of five grain flour within Achilas Peras [i.e. 174 grams, i.e. less than 16.7 %], then it is disputed as to whether one is to recite Al Hamichya or Borei Nefashos.[11] Practically, one is to suspect for the both opinion and eat a Kezayis each of two other foods of which one is Mezonos and the second receives a Borei Nefashos, and then recite an Al Hamichyah and Borei Nefashos on both foods.[12] [Alternatively, one can eat the food within a meal.[13] If one does plan to eat it within a meal and does not have two other foods that are Al Hamichya and Borei Nefashos to eat, then he is not to eat it all. If he went ahead and ate it anyways then he is not to say any after blessing for it.[14] If however he has one food available that is Al Hamichyeh or Borei Nefashos then he is to eat that food and recite that after blessing.]

7. Crackers made of rice and 5 grain flour:[15]

Rice and wheat cracker:[16] Any non-bread product that is made of rice and wheat flour receives a Mezonos and Al Hamichya if the entire food has the taste of wheat. One says Mezonos on any amount of the food that one will be eating and says Al Hamichyah on a Kezayis of the food [even though one did not eat a Kezayis of wheat flour]. This applies even if the food does not contain a Kezayis [27 grams] of wheat flour within Achilas Peras [174 grams].[17] If the entire food does not have the taste of wheat, then it follows the same laws as any food that is made of legume and five grain flour, explained above.

Rice cracker that contains spelt/rye/oat/barley flour: It follows the same laws as any cracker that is made of legume and five grain flour, explained in Halacha 6.

8. Gluten free crackers:

What is gluten free? Gluten free crackers are a generic name for all crackers that are free of the protein compound found in grain called gluten. Gluten is a protein that is responsible for the chewy and sticky compound so common towards dough. People go gluten free for a variety of reasons, whether due to allergy, celiac disease, or simply as a fad. Gluten is found in wheat and barley, and all wheat and barley derivative grains, such as spelt, rye, semolina, einkorn and other grains of that family. Oats are inherently gluten free although may be contaminated with gluten if not produced under proper supervision. A gluten free product simply means a product that does not contain those flours that have gluten and does not reveal the ingredients of the product which would make the difference regarding its blessing. A gluten free product can be made from a variety of flours. One can make gluten free crackers from rice, almond, or chickpea flour. One can also make the cracker from a mixture of oat flour and other flours. The law of the before and after blessing on such crackers depends on its flour ingredient, as explained below: 

Oat flour only gluten free cracker: Gluten free crackers that are made of only oat flour, without a mix of other flours, is Mezonos and requires Al Hamichya just like any other bread.

Legume flour only [other than rice] gluten free crackers: Gluten free crackers that is made of only legume flour, without a mix of five grain flour, is Shehakol and requires Borei Nefashos.

Mixture of Oat and legume flour gluten free crackers: If the cracker is made of a mixture of legumes flour and oat flour, the before blessing is Mezonos, even if the oat flour is the minority ingredient. [One is to wash prior to eating this bread. Regarding if a blessing is recited see above in A!] Regarding Al Hamichya, it depends on the amount of five grain flour included within the mixture, as well as on the amount that one ate. If the mixture contains enough oat flour that a Kezayis of it can be consumed within four minutes, and one indeed eats a Kezayis of oat flour within 4 minutes, then Al Hamichya is to be recited. If however one did not eat a Kezayis of oat flour within 4 minutes, then if the cracker contains a Kezayis of oat flour within 174 grams of the cracker, one is to recite Al Hamichyah. If the cracker does not contain a Kezayis of oat flour within 174 grams of the cracker, then one is to eat a Kezayis each of two other foods of which one is Mezonos and the second receives a Borei Nefashos, and then recite an Al Hamichyah and Borei Nefashos on both foods.

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[1] Seder 1:9

[2] See Vezos Habracha Birurim 24-2 and that so ruled to him Rav Moshe Shternbuch, Rav Pinchus Sheinberg, Badatz Machzikei Hadaas, and so was the leaning opinion of Rav SZ”A; Piskeiy Teshuvos 208:2

Other opinions: Some Poskim question that perhaps gluten should be viewed similar to flour, and hence could make a food become Mezonos if it is added as an ingredient of taste.  [See Vezos Habracha ibid]

[3] The reason: Although flour of the five grains is always considered the main ingredient of a food, and hence the blessing of the food should be Mezonos even if it is a minority ingredient [Admur Seder 3:2; Luach 4:2; Admur 168:11; 212:1; Michaber 208:2; M”A 212:1; Rav Kahana Brachos 36b and Rava Brachos 37b], nevertheless, pure gluten is not considered similar to the flour of the grain, and hence does not carry over its Mezonos status. [Vezos Habracha ibid] This is in addition to the fact that it is mainly added for the purpose of making the food texture more elastic, and not as an essential ingredient of the foods taste or satiation ability. [See Admur Seder 3:3; Luach 4:3; Admur 169:9; Michaber 208:2; 204:12; M”A 204:25; Taz 204:16; Brachos 39a]

[4] Seder 3:2 [regarding Mezonos] and 6; 8:3-4 [regarding hamotzi]; Luach 2:4-5; Michaber 208:9; Kaf Hachaim 168:122; 127; 208:9; 52-56; Ketzos Hashulchan 58:2 footnote 2; 59:3; See Piskeiy Teshuvos 208:14

[5] This follows the same ruling as bread made of such flours, as stated in Halacha 1-2

[6] Seder 3:2; 3:6; 8:3; Michaber ibid; Orchos Chaim; Abudarham

[7] This applies even if the flour of the five grains is the minority ingredient and even if it contains less than a Kezayis of five grain flour within Achilas Peras. [Admur ibid] If however a minute amount of five grain flour was added simply to strengthen the consistency of the legume dough and not for the sake of taste or satiation, then its blessing is Shehakol.

[8] Seder 3:2

[9] Seder 3:2; Vetzaruch Iyun from Seder 8:3 regarding hamotzi that Admur brings other opinions

[10] Implication of Seder 3:2; 1^st opinion in Seder 8:3 regarding Hamotzi; Ketzos Hashulchan 59:4 “even on a Kezayis of it”; Ketzos Hashulchan 59:3 that one says Al Hamichyah even though did not eat Kezayis of grain in Hamotzi bread; See Admur Seder 8:3 regarding Hamotzi that some rule one must eat an actual Kezayis of the grain flour to say Birchas Hamazon, Vetzaruch Iyun as to the difference between Birchas Hamazon and Al Hamichyah;

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule one must eat a Kezayis of the actual flour to say an Al Hamichyah, otherwise, one is to recite Borei Nefashos. [M”B 208:48; Chayeh Adam 50:21; Chesed Lealafim 208:3; Agurah Beohalecha p. 4; Kaf Hachaim 168:122; 127; 208:9; 14; Igros Moshe 1:71; Minchas Yitzchak 9:15; See Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 99; See also Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid footnote 103 that according to all one must eat a Kezayis of the actual flour to say an Al Hamichyah. Vetzaruch Iyun that he made no mention of above!; So rule regarding bread that one does not recite Birchas Hamazon in such a case: 2nd opinion in Admur ibid; See Kuntrus Achron 442 6-8; Raavad; Rashba Toras Habayis 4:1; Peri Chadash 442:1; P”M 208 A”A 15; Kaf Hachaim 208:53 in name of Perach Shushan 1:3; Erech Hashulchan 208:4; Beis Efraim 13; Shaareiy Teshuvah 208:12; Gr”a; Derech Hachaim]

[11] If the food does not contain a Kezayis [27 grams] of 5 grain flour within Achilas Peras [174 grams] then some Poskim say one is to nevertheless say Al Hamichyeh after eating a Kezayis of this food within Achilas Peras. The reason for this is because the bread contains a taste of five grain flour even though it does not have any substance of five grain flour other than a minute amount. [1^st opinion in Admur Seder 3:2 regarding Mezonos and 8:4 regarding bread; Luach 2:5 and 4:2; M”A 208:15] Other Poskim however question this ruling [and say that perhaps one is to recite Borei Nefashos rather than Al Hamichyah]. [2^nd opinion in Admur Seder 3:2 and 8:4; Michaber 208:9 regarding Tavshil; Divrei Chamudos Brachos 6:19; Olas Tamid 208:7; Kneses Hagedola 208:1; Elya Raba 208:3; Chesed Lealafim 208:3; Agurah Beohalecha p. 4; Kaf Hachaim 168:122; 127; 208:9:14; 53] Practically, due to the above dispute, one is to only eat a Kezayis each of two other foods of which one is Mezonos and the second receives a Borei Nefashos, and then recite an Al Hamichyah and Borei Nefashos on both foods. [Admur Seder 3:3; Ketzos Hashulchan 58:2 footnote 2]

[12] Seder ibid

[13] Admur Seder 8:4

[14] See Admur Seder 1:18 and Luach 1:20 that one cannot be Yoztei an Al Hamichyeh with a Borei Nefashos and cannot be Yoztei a Borei Nefashos with Al Hamichyeh

[15] Seder 8:5; Luach 2:6; M”A 208:15; Ramban; Maggid Mishneh; Rambam; Rosh; See Michaber Y.D. 324:9 and Shach 324:17 regarding Hafrashas Challah

[16] Seder 8:5

[17] The reason: As the wheat penetrates the rice with its taste, and all the rice tastes like wheat. [Admur ibid]