Description
These homemade cheese crackers are made with just four simple ingredients: sharp cheddar, flour, cold butter, and ice water. They are incredibly crunchy, customizable, and taste like gourmet store-bought crackers but are much cheaper and healthier.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces (225g) sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
- 2–4 tablespoons ice water
- Optional: 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon dried herbs (rosemary/thyme), or 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Grate the sharp cheddar cheese on the fine side of a box grater and refrigerate or freeze for 10 minutes.
- Cut the cold unsalted butter into 1-inch cubes and keep refrigerated until ready to use.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and grated cheese, tossing to coat the cheese particles.
- Add the cold butter cubes to the flour-cheese mixture. Use a pastry blender or fork to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized butter bits.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture. Gently mix with a fork or hands just until the dough starts to come together. Add more water if needed, but do not overmix.
- Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place one disc of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out thinly (about 1/8 inch thick).
- Cut the dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters or a knife. Transfer to baking sheets and prick each cracker several times with a fork.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating pans halfway through, until lightly golden brown around the edges.
- Let crackers cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before storing.
Notes
Keep all ingredients, especially butter and cheese, very cold to ensure crisp texture. Do not use pre-shredded cheese as the anti-caking agents can prevent proper binding. Roll dough thin for maximum crunch. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. If humid, add a piece of bread to absorb moisture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10 crackers
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 12
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Protein: 6
Keywords: homemade cheese crackers, 4 ingredient crackers, sharp cheddar crackers, gluten-free snack option, vegan cracker alternative, easy snack recipe, crunchy crackers