How To Make Homemade Cheese Crackers

When you have a sick family, you find yourself staying home on the weekend.  Definitely not easy for us, when we’re so accustomed to our on-the-go lifestyle.  The weather here is slightly overcast, so outside for those who are “well” is out of the question.  But when my son asked me for a snack, we quickly learned how to make homemade cheese crackers.

When I posted a picture of these crackers on my facebook page, I received a message, asking if it was “worth it” to make these at home. Here’s the thing, making the cheese crackers was very simple, and they have a different texture and taste, too.  They are definitely not like the ones you buy at the store, and once you try one, you’ll see why. I think you just have to make them at least once to decide for yourself.  Once you read the recipe and find out it has REAL cheese inside, you’ll run to your refrigerator to see if the ingredients are there! (Plus, you can alter the recipe as you wish!  Add jalapeno cheese for some spice or sharp cheese for an intense flavor!)  We will definitely make them again!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up into small pieces
• 7 – 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese, grated
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard (optional, though I suggest you add it!  It’s such a small amount, but will add a hint of flavor.)
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, pulse the top 5 ingredients together, until it looks like coarse crumbs.
2. While pulsing, add in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time. *If you use warm/hot water, the butter will start to melt.  Use cold.
3. Remove the dough from the food processor and wrap in plastic wrap, forming a ball.  Place this in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and gather the supplies to roll out your dough.  I like to use my Good Cook rolling pin. 
5. Roll out the dough very thin.  You don’t want it thick, but thin enough to almost see through it.  Cut the dough into 1-inch squares by using the back of a knife.
6. Take a toothpick to poke a hole in the middle of each cracker. You may have to swirl the toothpick around in a small circle so it’s big enough.  *Make sure you do this!
7. Using a spatula, gently lift each piece of dough and place on a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper.  I use my baking sheet from Good Cook for this as well.  You can place them fairly close together, as this doesn’t spread much.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crispy.  They will turn brown fast, so watch carefully toward the end.  Trust me on this!

What happens if you decide to skip step 6?  Because you know I just couldn’t let one cheese cracker go by without finding out…

If you skip the “poke with a toothpick” step, each cracker will blow up like a puff, leaving you with a totally different texture than the flat ones (with holes).  Try a few in the process of baking these!  I bet they would be great served with a cheese ball or other party dip!

And, about those Good Cook products I mentioned earlier… here are the ones I used tonight: