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Homemade Cheddar Cheese Crackers Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Homemade Cheddar Cheese Crackers Recipe

I started making these cheddar cheese crackers the day I got tired of paying for a box of the orange kind at the store. Once I realized how few ingredients it actually takes, I never looked back. My kitchen smells incredible every time a batch comes out of the oven, and honestly, I snack on half of them before they even cool down.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded — grate it yourself, since pre-shredded cheese has a coating that keeps it from blending smoothly
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened — softened butter blends into the dough much more evenly than cold butter
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour — the base that holds everything together into a rollable dough
  • ½ teaspoon salt — skip or reduce this if your butter is salted
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water — added gradually so the dough comes together without turning sticky
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika optional — adds a subtle warmth and a hint of color to every cracker

Method
 

  1. Start by shredding your block of cheddar using the coarse side of a box grater. Freshly shredded cheese melts and blends far more smoothly into the dough than the bagged kind. Set it aside while you prep everything else.
  2. Add the shredded cheese, softened butter, flour, salt, and paprika if using into your food processor. Pulse everything together until it looks like coarse, sandy crumbs. This usually takes about 15 to 20 short pulses.
  3. With the processor running, drizzle in the ice water one tablespoon at a time. Stop as soon as the mixture clumps together into a ball, since too much water makes the dough sticky and hard to roll later.
  4. Shape the dough into a flat disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, which firms up the butter and makes rolling out the dough much easier.
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out to about ⅛ inch thick. Use a pizza cutter to slice it into 1-inch squares, and poke a small hole in the center of each one with a toothpick so steam can escape while baking.
  6. Arrange the squares on your parchment-lined baking sheet with a little space between them. Bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges turn lightly golden brown. Let them cool completely before digging in, since they crisp up more as they sit.

Notes

  • I always use extra-sharp cheddar, since mild cheddar gets lost once these crackers bake.
  • I roll my dough as thin and even as possible, because thicker spots turn out soft instead of crisp.
  • I chill the dough a second time for 10 minutes if my kitchen is warm, which keeps the squares from spreading in the oven.
  • I keep a close eye on the oven during the last few minutes, since these go from golden to burnt surprisingly fast.
  • I let a fully cooled tray sit uncovered for 10 extra minutes before storing, which helps lock in that crisp texture.