Kids Lunchbox Cheese Crackers Recipe

Ash Tyrrell

Kids Lunchbox Cheese Crackers Recipe

I started making these cheese crackers the week my daughter refused every store-bought snack in our pantry, and honestly, it turned out to be one of the best kitchen decisions I've made. I mix the dough in a food processor, my kids take turns rolling it out, and within half an hour we've got a full batch of crispy, cheesy little squares.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings: 6

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated — grate it yourself instead of using pre-shredded bags, which are coated in starch and won't melt into the dough properly
¾ cup whole wheat flour — gives the crackers a wholesome slightly nutty base without tasting too heavy
½ cup rolled oats ground into a rough flour — adds fiber and a subtle crunch that plain flour alone can't give
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed — keeping it cold is key for that flaky, crisp texture once baked
¼ teaspoon baking powder — helps the crackers puff slightly so they aren't too dense
¼ teaspoon salt — skip or reduce this if your cheese is already on the salty side
2 to 4 tablespoons cold water — added a little at a time just until the dough comes together

Method

Start by adding your rolled oats to the food processor and pulsing them until they resemble a coarse flour. This step only takes about 20 seconds, so don't walk away or you'll end up with oat powder instead.
Add the whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt straight into the processor with the ground oats. Pulse everything a few times just to combine, which keeps the dry mix light and evenly distributed.
Toss in your freshly grated cheddar and cold cubed butter, then pulse again until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. The cold butter is what gives these crackers their crisp bite once they hit the oven.
With the processor running, slowly stream in the cold water one tablespoon at a time. Stop as soon as the dough clumps together into a ball, since too much water makes the dough sticky and hard to roll.
Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out until it's about an eighth of an inch thick. Use your pizza cutter or cookie cutter to slice the dough into small squares or shapes the kids will enjoy.
Transfer the cut pieces onto a lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 12 to 15 minutes. Pull them out once the edges turn a light golden brown, then let them cool completely so they crisp up fully.

Notes

I always grate my own cheese straight off the block, since it melts and blends into the dough so much better than the bagged kind.
I keep my butter in the freezer for a few minutes right before I start, which helps the dough turn out flakier.
I roll the dough as thin as I can manage, because thinner crackers turn out noticeably crispier once baked.
I poke a tiny hole in the center of each cracker with a toothpick, which stops them from puffing up unevenly in the oven.
I let a full batch cool completely on the tray before storing, or they turn soft from trapped steam.