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Buttery Cheese Crackers Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Buttery Cheese Crackers Recipe

I started making these buttery cheese crackers the day I ran out of the store-bought kind mid-recipe and refused to make another grocery run. Once I tasted my first warm batch straight off the baking sheet, I never went back to the box. There's something about that sharp, buttery snap that boxed crackers just can't replicate.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour — gives the crackers their sturdy snappable base
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt — balances the sharpness of the cheese
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder — keeps the crackers from turning out too dense
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter cubed — cold butter is what creates that flaky, crumbly bite, so don't let it soften
  • 1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded — always grate it fresh, pre-shredded cheese has additives that keep it from melting smoothly
  • ¼ cup heavy cream — helps bring the dough together without making it too wet
  • 1 large egg — adds richness and helps the dough hold its shape
  • Flaky salt for topping — a light sprinkle on top gives every bite a little extra crunch

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder until evenly combined. This step only takes a minute but makes sure your leavening and seasoning are spread throughout the dough instead of clumped in one spot.
  2. Add your cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture and use a pastry blender or your fingers to work it in until it resembles coarse sand. Stir in the freshly shredded cheddar so it's evenly distributed throughout the crumbly mixture.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and heavy cream until smooth. Pour this mixture into the flour and cheese mixture, stirring just until a shaggy dough starts to form.
  4. Use your hands to gently knead the dough a couple of times right in the bowl, just enough for it to form a cohesive ball. Avoid overworking it here, since too much handling can make the crackers turn out tough instead of tender.
  5. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for about an hour. This resting time firms the butter back up and makes the dough much easier to roll out thin.
  6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out into a thin, even rectangle, about ⅛-inch thick. Use a pizza cutter or small round cutter to slice the dough into your desired cracker shapes.
  7. Transfer the crackers to your lined baking sheets, prick each one a few times with a fork, and sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges turn lightly golden and crisp.

Notes

  • I always keep my butter in the fridge until the exact moment I need it, since warm butter ruins that flaky texture I'm going for.
  • I roll my dough as thin as I can manage, since thicker crackers end up chewy instead of crisp.
  • I like pricking each cracker with a fork before baking, which stops annoying air bubbles from forming.
  • I rotate my baking sheet halfway through baking, since my oven tends to run hotter in the back.
  • I let the crackers cool completely on a wire rack before storing, or they turn soggy from trapped steam.