You can make homemade Cheez-It snack crackers with little effort and better fresher taste!
Don't tell Ben.
So Judah and I didn't have to work too hard to create our loving surprise for Ben, but we did have to work hard at not eating all of the yummy Cheez-It crackers! These are seriously better than the boxed kind, but oddly enough, they taste very very similar.
Guess what? Ben liked the homemade Cheez-It crackers better! So you don't have to guess that once Ben found them, they were gone in... seconds.
Homemade Cheez-It Crackers
Ingredients
- 4 oz block extra sharp cheddar cheese , grated
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 to 2 1/2 Tablespoons milk , plus more for brushing
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Adjust racks to the top and bottom third of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners; set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade, process the cheese, butter, flours, onion powder, salt and 2 Tablespoons of the milk until a dough is formed. Add up to 1/2 Tablespoon more of milk if the dough is too dry and crumbly.
- Transfer the dough to a pastry mat or a clean floured surface. Roll to a large rectangle until the thickness of the dough is about 1/16th of an inch. Using a pastry wheel or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1x1-inch squares, or 1/2x1/2-inch squares (really, it doesn't matter too much what size you choose) but the baking times may vary. Reserve any scraps to repeat and roll out and cut again.
- Using a thin spatula, transfer the dough squares onto the baking sheets. Lightly brush milk onto the tops of each square with a pastry brush, then sprinkle with Kosher salt. Prick the center of each square with the blunt end of a bamboo skewer.
- Bake the two baking sheets of crackers for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on the size of your crackers, until they are crisp and slightly golden. Rotate the pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking.
- Remove from the oven and set the baking sheets on wire racks. Allow to cool completely.
Kathy says
Yum! I have this book but have not made anything from it yet. I think I need to remedy that!
cassie says
I had to stop buying cheez-it's because they are so addicting! I love them but even more I love the idea of making them from scratch. These look perfect, Nikki!
Cathy Pollak ~ Noble Pig says
I buy so many cheeze-it crackers but these are WAY cuter. Totally trying this with my boys.
Karly says
I kept thinking how pretty your crackers were and then I got to the chubby little toddler hand. Loooooooove.
Nikki says
hahahaha!! 🙂
USA Kiwi (Kylee) says
Those look fantastic. I saw a recipe for chipotle flavored ones that I'm dying to make. Homemade is always amazing.
I made goldfish a few months ago - it made a ton. I think I rolled them out too thick in the beginning, but by the last tray (of 4) I had it down. Your cheezits are so CUTE
Nikki says
Chipotle flavored!? I'm all over that! And, I've been wanting to try homemade goldfish. Where can I find a fish cutter?
Kelsey says
I have a love/hate relationship with this post. I LOOOOVE Cheez-Its, but I might hate how easy it will be to have homemade ones around the house! Also, I adore these photos. They are beautiful!
Cookbook Queen says
Jon David LOOOOVE Cheez-Its. They are a staple around here!! Darn Cheez It breath!!
Nikki says
"Cheez-It breath!" ha! *snort!*
Tracey says
I made homemade Cheez-Its a few months ago, and even as a non-fan of the store-bought ones, I fell completely in love. They were so good!! Yours look amazing, it makes me wish I could reach through the screen and grab a little cup 🙂
Aggie says
I really have to get my act together and make these...they seem easy enough (but I'm also a "dough" phobe). I just know my kids would go nuts over them!! (um and who am I kidding, me too).
Joybee says
Yum. I can't wait to try these. you could make all kinds of flavors by altering the type of cheese and spices (I bet pepper jack would be great). The possibilities are endless. Thanks for the recipe.
Jamie @lifelovelemons says
Ohhh how cute are these!
Carla @ Carlas Confections says
Aww I love that last photo! So adorable! And I am drooling over the sound of these. I can only imagine the bite of that fresh cheese, Yum!
Julie @ Table for Two says
These are so irresistible!!
Nutmeg Nanny says
I most definitely have to try this recipe out 🙂 I love snack foods!
Suzanne says
These look perfect! It's no wonder your husband liked them mire than the boxed ones.
promet says
Hi,
Tried these today and it looks like the beginning of beautiful friendship! I need to roll them out a teensy bit thinner though I think. They were delicious, but I noticed the thinner ones where noticably better. They had that well browned but not quite burned quality that the "corporates" have and "bubbled" better.
I could only get so much elbow room to roll (eensy weensy NYC kitchen counters). I'm thinking though, about quartering the dough and rolling it out in smaller batches to get thinner crackers. Thanks very much for sharing this, I'm going to have fun experimenting.
Try adding a touch (1/4 tsp. maybe?) of powdered mustard seed and a pinch of cayenne powder, and maybe a little smoked paprika to the dry ingredients before mixing. I liked these additions in my first go 'round.
Thanks again!
p.s. Go Ben, go! 😉
Nikki says
Ooh! I'll have to try your additions! Thanks for the review!! 🙂
Rebecca says
I've tried three other recipes and was about to give up. These are the big winner! Finally!
Nikki Gladd says
Awesome, Rebecca! Thanks for the feedback!