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Star Shaped Cheese Crackers Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Star Shaped Cheese Crackers Recipe

I still remember the first time I pulled a tray of these little golden stars out of the oven and the whole kitchen smelled like a cheese shop. I make these star shaped crackers for cheese whenever my kids need a lunchbox surprise or when I'm hosting friends and want something better than store-bought chips.
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Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour – gives the crackers their sturdy snappable base
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated – grate it yourself, pre-shredded cheese won't melt the same way
  • 4 tablespoons cold butter cubed – cold butter is the secret to a flaky, crumbly texture
  • ½ teaspoon salt – balances the richness of the cheese and butter
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika or turmeric – adds a warm color and a subtle savory note
  • 2-3 tablespoons cold water – just enough to bring the dough together add slowly

Method
 

  1. Add the flour, salt, paprika, and cold butter cubes into your food processor. Pulse a few times until the mixture looks like coarse, sandy crumbs. Toss in the freshly grated cheddar and pulse again until it's evenly distributed through the flour mixture.
  2. With the processor running, drizzle in the cold water one tablespoon at a time. Stop as soon as the dough clumps together into a rough ball. I never add all the water at once, since too much moisture makes the dough sticky and hard to roll.
  3. Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap and pat it into a flat disc. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate for about 20 minutes. This resting time firms up the butter again, which is what gives these crackers their flaky bite.
  4. Dust your countertop with flour and roll the chilled dough to about ⅛ inch thick. Press your star cutter into the dough, dipping it in flour between cuts if it starts sticking. Gather the scraps and re-roll until the dough is used up.
  5. Arrange the stars on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving a little space between each one. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 18 minutes, until the edges turn golden and the centers feel firm to the touch.
  6. Let the crackers rest on the tray for a minute or two, then transfer them to a wire rack. Cooling them fully is what makes them turn from soft to properly crunchy, so don't skip this part.

Notes

  • I always grate my own cheddar block instead of buying shredded cheese, since the anti-caking coating on bags keeps it from melting smoothly into the dough.
  • I keep my butter in the freezer for ten minutes before starting, which helps the dough stay cold and flaky.
  • I never skip the chilling step, even when I'm in a rush, because warm dough turns sticky and impossible to roll evenly.
  • I like poking a small hole in the center of each star with a toothpick before baking, which helps them puff evenly and bake through.
  • I rotate my baking sheet halfway through cooking since my oven runs a little hot on one side.