Crispy Homemade Cheez Its: Buttery, Salty Crackers (Print Version)

Homemade Cheez Its: Crispy, cheesy crackers made simple! Enjoy a batch of these flavorful, better-than-store-bought snacks. Your new family favorite!

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ Cracker Base

01 - 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
02 - ½ cup (113g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
03 - 2-4 tablespoons ice water

→ Cheesy Flavor Boosters

04 - 2 cups (227g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

→ Seasoning & Finishing

05 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
06 - ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

→ Optional Add-ins

07 - ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, grab your food processor – it's going to be your best friend for these Homemade Cheez Its. Toss in your freshly grated sharp cheddar and about half of your all-purpose flour. Pulse it a few times until the cheese is finely ground and mixed with the flour. You want it to look almost like coarse sand, honestly. This step is crucial for getting that even cheesy distribution throughout the cracker. I remember the first time I just dumped everything in, and I had big chunks of cheese, which, while still tasty, wasn't the smooth cracker texture I was aiming for.
02 - Now, add the rest of your flour, along with your super cold, cubed butter, and a good pinch of fine sea salt to the food processor. Pulse again, maybe 10-15 times, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, like pebbly sand. You'll see little flecks of butter still, and that's exactly what you want! Don't overmix here, or your crackers will be tough. I made that mistake once, processing it until it looked like a paste, and the resulting crackers were more like hardtack. Learn from my oops moment!
03 - With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, just until the dough starts to come together into a ball. It might take 2-4 tablespoons, so keep an eye on it! Stop as soon as it forms a cohesive dough. You're not looking for a wet, sticky mess; just a pliable dough. Overwatering it makes it difficult to roll out, and under-watering it makes it crumbly. It’s a delicate balance, but you'll get the hang of it!
04 - Gather the dough, flatten it into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic, and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time is vital for easy rolling and preventing the butter from melting. When you're ready, flour your work surface lightly and roll the dough out incredibly thin – we're talking about 1/16th of an inch! Seriously, the thinner, the crispier your Homemade Cheez Its will be. I always aim for almost transparent; it makes such a difference.
05 - Time for the fun part! Use a fluted pastry wheel or a sharp knife to cut the dough into small squares, about 1-inch by 1-inch. Then, gently prick the center of each square with a toothpick or a skewer. This little step prevents them from puffing up too much in the oven. Transfer your cut squares carefully to baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leaving a tiny bit of space between each one. Don't worry if they're not perfectly uniform; mine rarely are!
06 - Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the crackers for about 12-15 minutes, or until they're golden brown and wonderfully crispy. Keep a close eye on them, especially towards the end, because they can go from perfectly golden to burnt in a flash! The smell that fills your kitchen at this stage is absolutely heavenly – that rich, toasted cheese aroma is just the best. Let them cool completely on a wire rack; they'll crisp up even more as they cool. Enjoy your Homemade Cheez Its!

# Notes:

01 - Always grate your own cheese for these; pre-shredded just doesn't melt and crisp the same.
02 - Store them in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week; they lose crispness fast if exposed.
03 - A mix of sharp cheddar and a tiny bit of Parmesan adds another layer of salty, umami goodness.
04 - Serve them with a simple tomato soup for a nostalgic, comforting meal that hits just right.

# Tools You'll Need:

01 - Food processor
02 - rolling pin
03 - parchment paper
04 - baking sheets
05 - pastry wheel or sharp knife
06 - ruler (optional)
07 - toothpick or skewer

# Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):

Calories: 150
Total Fat: 10g
Total Carbohydrate: 10g
Protein: 5g

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