Easy Cheese Crackers

If you love the boxed cheese crackers, but not the price, you can easily make your own at home.  With just a few simple ingredients, you will be eating your favorite snack crackers in no time.  At our house, they do not last long once they are made.  

These cheese crackers will be so much better for you as well.  They will not have the chemicals, preservatives or bioengineered ingredients in them that the store bought ones do. And yours will be freshly made.

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) pkg. extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c. flour
2 Tbs. or more, ice water 

For Spicy Cheese crackers add:

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper or more to taste
1/8 tsp. black pepper or more to taste
1/8 tsp. garlic powder or more to taste

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Shred the extra sharp cheddar cheese in a food processor, or you can use a hand grater.  Do not use or buy pre-shredded cheese.  See notes below for information as to why I am cautioning you about this.

For the next step, you can continue to use the food processor, or you can use a stand mixer.

In a large mixer bowl or continue to use your food processor, add cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, butter, salt, and baking soda.  If you are making the Spicy Cheese Crackers, mix in the Cayenne pepper, black pepper and garlic powder at this time You can add other seasonings that you want in the mixture as well.  Mix the ingredients on medium speed until combined. 

Turn the mixer speed to low.  Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing the ingredients until they look like small pebbles.

Slowly add 2 tablespoons of water into the cheese mixture. Continue to mix the ingredients until a dough forms.  You may need to add more water before the dough comes together. Just add a little at a time, or the dough will be too wet to work with, and then you will need to add a little more flour.

Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface.  Pat the dough into a disc shape. Place the dough into a plastic bag and wrap it tight. You can wrap the dough in a sheet of plastic wrap instead if you prefer.

Place the dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 

Divide the dough in half.  Refrigerate the other half until you are ready to roll it out. 

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the doughs into a 10 x 12 inch rectangle.  The dough needs to be about 1/8" thick for the best texture. 

Cut the dough into 1" squares. You can use a pizza cutter or a fluted pastry wheel for easier cutting.  Place the dough squares on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the other half of the dough. 

With a toothpick or chopstick, make a hole in the center of each square.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until they are puffed, and the edges are starting to brown.  Remove the crackers to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

Store the crackers in an airtight container for 1 week. 

Notes:

Do not buy the pre-shredded cheese. It contains Natamycin which is a macrolide antifungal.  This is an ingredient used to treat some types of fungal infections of the eye. However, this ingredient is by prescription only. It is only available to you if a doctor prescribes it to you.  

You can still buy the brick cheese. They do not add this ingredient to the brick cheese.

If you don't want to make all the crackers right away, you could freeze the dough as long as it’s well-wrapped.  The day before you want to make the crackers, remove the dough from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator to thaw.