Easy Light and Crispy Cheese Crackers
These homemade cheese crackers are super simple to make. Packed with savoury cheese and baked to a crisp, light and airy, golden perfection. These crazy addictive bite-sized snacks are the loved by kids and adults alike!
Can you make homemade crackers?
The idea of making your own homemade cheese crackers from scratch might sound a little daunting. But don’t be alarmed, crackers are just as easy as making cookies!
Crackers require very few ingredients, and are crisp, light, and delicious!
While you can buy premade crackers at the grocery store, they are often full of stabilizers, preservatives, and food dyes. Make these homemade store bought snacks with simple quality ingredients in no time.
Make a big batch of crackers to freeze, that way you have crackers on hand whenever the mood strikes!
Crackers are one of my favourite grocery store snack items to make at home because it is such a quick and easy recipe!
Simple crackers
This cracker recipe is extremely easy and takes only a few minutes to make the dough. Roll the dough out thin and slice through with a pizza wheel to make little square, Cheez it! style crackers in no time! Or use cookie cutters for fun snackable shapes for homemade school lunch ideas your little guys will be excited about!
This recipe only requires 4 ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now! So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get baking!
How to keep homemade crackers crispy
Don’t store them in the refrigerator! This is the mistake that will quickly turn fresh deliciously crispy crackers into a soft disaster!
The refrigerator is not the best option for storing your crackers. If you want them to remain crispy, store the baked crackers in a container on the counter to for up to 3 days. Don’t tightly cover them, as this will often soften the crackers.
If you need a longer storage option, store your crackers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months!
Since they are so small and thin, they defrost very quickly and are ready to eat with in a few minutes of removing them from the freezer.
Crackers for kids and toddlers
This is an excellent cracker recipe to make for kids and toddlers to enjoy. A quick easy and delicious snack that seems to be a fan favourite with pretty much any kid I’ve met.
These crackers will rival those grocery store cheese crackers that seem to be a staple in every child’s diet. Only you can feel a little better knowing your crackers are full of quality ingredients without any preservatives, questionable ingredients, and dyes.
How to store homemade crackers
Frozen
These easy cheesy homemade crackers store very well. You can extend the life of your baked crackers for up to 4 months! For best results to freeze you homemade crackers.
- Allow your baked crackers to cool to room temperature.
- Store your crackers in an airtight container.
- Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
- Since the crackers are small and thin, they defrost very quickly.
- Remove from the container and store at room temperature for 10-15 mins.
- Enjoy as a snack or with your favourite topping.
The dough for these easy homemade cheese crackers stores very well in the freezer. You can keep the dough frozen for up to 4 months when stored properly. To store easy homemade cracker dough
- Shape the dough into a disc.
- Wrap the dough tightly and thoroughly in plastic wrap.
- Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 4 months.
- When you are ready to bake the crackers, remove from the freezer and allow to defrost slightly at room temperature, until you are able to roll it.
- Place the crackers on a baking sheet and bake as you would fresh dough.
What kind of cheese to use for homemade cheese crackers
My favourite cheese to use for these crackers is cheddar cheese. It has a great mild flavour and is the favourite cheese of all of little guys at my house. However, if you want to experiment with different flavours any of these types of cheese would work great for making crackers.
- Aged Cheddar– There are many varieties of this popular cheese; marble, mild, sharp, and aged cheddars to name a few. All would be ideal choices for crackers.
- Mozzarella – This, very mild flavoured cheese, is perfect if you are wanting a very subtle cheese flavour to your crackers. You know it’s going to be good, I mean pizza and mozzarella go hand in hand. So cheese crackers with mozzarella seems like a no-brainer!
- Gouda– This cheese’s sweet, light, buttery flavour is an excellent choice in baking, as it melts well. Try smoked gouda for a slightly different flavour.
- Provolone – This is a great semi-hard cheese. It has buttery, nutty flavours and can range from sharp to milky depending on the variety you choose.
- Havarti – This nutty smooth cheese tastes similar to Swiss cheeses, but perhaps a bit milder.
- Pepper Jack – If you are looking for a spicy kick, this cheese is a perfect cheddar substitute.
Make the recipe with a combination of cheese. If you still want to keep that orange colour, make sure to at least keep half of the cheese orange cheddar.
Ingredients for Homemade cheese crackers
½ cup cold butter, cubed 115 g
½ lb grated cheddar cheese, or cheese of choice 227 g
¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder 1.75 ml
½ teaspoon paprika 2.5 ml
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour 155 g
1-2 Tablespoons cold water 15-30 ml
Method
- In a food processor add the flour, paprika, mustard powder, and cheese.
- Blitz or pulse to incorporate into a uniform crumbly mixture.
- With the food processor on low, add the cubes of cold butter through the funnel.
- Stop once all the butter is in. Don’t over work the dough.
- With the food processor on low, add a little bit of the cold water through the funnel.
- As soon as the the dough clumps together, stop the machine. (You may need some or all of the water)
7. Tip the dough out onto the counter and shape into a disk.
8. Wrap in plastic wrap.
9. Allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
10. Preheat the oven to 400 ºF (200 ºC).
11. Roll the dough out thinly on a floured surface.
12. Cut into little squares or shapes with cookie cutters.
13. Place the dough onto a baking sheet and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. This step will ensure the crackers hold their shape and the butter doesn’t ooze out.
14. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 -12 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
15. Remove, cool, and enjoy!
Easy Homemade Cheese Crackers
Ingredients
- ½ cup cold butter cubed 115 g
- ½ lb grated cheddar cheese or cheese of choice 227 g
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard powder 1.75 ml
- ½ teaspoon paprika 2.5 ml
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour 155 g
- 1-2 Tablespoons cold water 15-30 ml
Instructions
- In a food processor add the flour, paprika, mustard powder, and cheese.
- Blitz or pulse to incorporate into a uniform crumbly mixture.
- With the food processor on low, add the cubes of cold butter through the funnel.
- Stop once all the butter is in. Don’t over work the dough.
- With the food processor on low, add a little bit of the cold water through the funnel.
- As soon as the the dough clumps together, stop the machine. (You may need some or all of the water)
- Tip the dough out onto the counter and shape into a disk.
- Wrap in plastic wrap.
- Allow the dough to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 ºF (200 ºC).
- Roll the dough out thinly on a floured surface.
- Cut into little squares or shapes with cookie cutters.
- Place the dough onto a baking sheet and chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. This step will ensure the crackers hold their shape and the butter doesn’t ooze out.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 10 -12 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
- Remove, cool, and enjoy!
Cheese crackers are the perfect kid-friendly snack to enjoy and make with the whole family! Looking for some more family favourite snacks? Try one of these The Best Vintage Carrot Cookies Homemade, Oreo Inspired, Sandwich Cookies, Decadent Carrot Muffins | Heirloom Recipe!
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