Crispy Homemade Cheese Crackers: A Family Favorite (Print Version)

Whip up a batch of crispy, cheesy homemade crackers. This simple recipe brings back childhood memories and is perfect for snacking!

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 18 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

# Ingredients:

→ Dough Base

01 - 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
03 - 2-4 tablespoons cold water

→ Cheesy Goodness

04 - 1 cup (113g) sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
05 - 1/4 cup (28g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

→ Flavor Boosters

06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1/4 teaspoon paprika

→ For Finishing

09 - Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, grab your food processor. Toss in the flour, salt, garlic powder, and paprika. Give it a quick pulse, just a few seconds, to get everything combined. You want a uniform mixture before adding the butter. I usually give the bowl a little shake to make sure no dry spots are hiding at the bottom, because I've definitely had that happen before, oops!
02 - Now, add your cold, cubed butter to the food processor. Pulse it about 10-12 times, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Then, add both your freshly grated cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. Pulse a few more times, maybe 5-7, until the cheese is just incorporated. Don't overmix here; we're aiming for flaky, not tough, cheese crackers!
03 - With the food processor running on low, slowly drizzle in the cold water, one tablespoon at a time. Stop as soon as the dough starts to come together into a ball. This step is where I always get a little nervous about adding too much water, so go slow! You might not need all of it, or you might need a tiny bit more; it really depends on your flour and humidity.
04 - Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc, and wrap it up tightly. Pop it into the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or even an hour. Honestly, this chilling step is non-negotiable for really crispy crackers. I've rushed it, and the dough was a sticky, unmanageable mess that didn't roll out nicely at all. Learn from my mistakes!
05 - Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the chilled dough as thin as you possibly can, aiming for about 1/16 to 1/8 inch thick. The thinner the dough, the crispier your tasty homemade cheese crackers will be! Use a cookie cutter (I love a classic square or a fun little star) to cut out shapes. Gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut again until all the dough is used.
06 - Carefully transfer your cut-out crackers to the prepared baking sheets. Prick each cracker a few times with a fork – this helps prevent them from puffing up too much. Sprinkle with a few sea salt flakes. Bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the crackers are golden brown and crisp. Keep an eye on them, as they can go from perfect to burnt pretty quickly! The smell, oh, the smell is just divine.

# Notes:

01 - Don't skip the chilling step for your tasty homemade cheese crackers; it’s critical for easy rolling and that perfect crispness.
02 - Always roll the dough as thin as you possibly can; thicker crackers will be more like shortbread, which isn't what we're going for here.
03 - Freshly grate your cheese! It makes a huge difference in both flavor and texture compared to pre-shredded varieties.
04 - For an extra cheesy punch, brush the crackers with a little melted butter and sprinkle a tiny bit more grated Parmesan right before baking.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - Food processor
02 - rolling pin
03 - parchment paper
04 - baking sheets
05 - cookie cutters

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 250
Total Fat: 15g
Total Carbohydrate: 20g
Protein: 8g

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