You’d be surprised how easy it is to make homemade cheese crackers with just a few ingredients. Even my eldest, who doesn’t like cheez-it, enjoys this homemade version. And my youngest, a fan of goldfish crackers, devours these crackers.
Up to now, I have relied heavily on packaged snacks. I thought a few bites between meals didn’t quite matter, and there was no need to spend time making them at home. To be honest, I underestimated how many snacks my kids eat daily. There are snacks to pack for school every weekday, and add after-school activities… My kids are snacking all day!
Cheese crackers with real simple ingredients
These homemade crackers have real cheese, flour, cornmeal, olive oil, and salt. That’s it!
You can also add nutritional yeast and flax meal for a nutrition boost. Nutritional yeast adds to the cheesy flavor and turns the crackers brighter yellow, so I strongly recommend adding some if you have it in your pantry. Nutritional yeast is different from active or instant yeast used in baking. It does not affect the final result other than adding a boost of nutrition and subtle flavor. So feel free to leave it out if you don’t have some already in your pantry. You can also add a tablespoon of flax meal for some added goodness. However, it creates dark specks on the crackers, so if you want the look to resemble store-bought crackers, skip the flax meal.
I like to use half cornmeal and half all-purpose flour for these cheese crackers. Cornmeal adds a subtle corn flavor and crunchy texture with some added nutrition. I always keep cornmeal in the pantry for cornbread muffins and dusting pizza dough, but you can substitute cornmeal with all-purpose flour if you don’t have it handy.
Roll and cut the dough on parchment paper
When I first made cheese crackers, I cut the dough on the counter and then painfully moved the little pieces one by one to the baking sheet. I feel the frustration rising in me, even remembering that moment many years ago.
Instead, you can roll and cut the dough on parchment paper. I like to move the parchment paper onto the baking sheet after rolling and before cutting. It gets trickier to transfer once you cut the dough. You don’t need to separate the little pieces. You can easily snap them into little crackers once they are baked and cooled.
Storing tips
You can store homemade cheese crackers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I crisp the crackers up in the air fryer when they get stale. Three to five minutes at 400 F is all you need.
You can double the recipe and freeze half of the dough before rolling. The night before you want to bake these crackers, move the dough to the fridge to defrost overnight.
Homemade Cheese Crackers
Homemade cheese crackers with real simple ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup corn meal
- 4 oz (roughly 1 cup) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1.5 oz (roughly 1/2 cup) grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 tbsp flax meal (optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup hot water
Instructions
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Position the rack on the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F.
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In a food processor, add all-purpose flour, corn meal, cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, olive oil, nutritional yeast, flax meal, and salt. Process until combined.
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With the food processor running, drizzle in 1/3 cup hot water. The dough will stick together when pressed. If it doesn't, add a little bit more water.
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Dump the dough onto a silicone baking mat or countertop and pat the dough into a square. Wrap with cling wrap and chill the dough for 10 minutes in the fridge.
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Roll out the dough to 1/8" thick on parchment paper. Place the parchment paper with dough onto a baking sheet.
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Cut the cracker into your desired shape. Bake for about 17-20 minutes until the edges are golden. Timing will vary based on the thickness of the crackers, so keep an eye on it. You can take out the edge pieces that brown more quickly and put the rest back in the oven for a few more minutes to crisp up even more.
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Let crackers cool on the sheet pan. Crackers will crisp up more while cooling.
Recipe Notes
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. You can crisp the crackers up in the air fryer when they get stale.
- Flax meal creates darker specks on the crackers. If you want the look to resemble store-bought crackers, skip the flax meal.
