Homemade Cheez-Its
Like most processed, packaged snacks, I didn’t really get into Cheez-Its until high school. Waaaaaay past the days of grade school sleepovers with Ritz crackers and spray cheese. Seriously, why did cheese from a can taste so good?! As far as snacks go, Cheez-Its were pretty darn good – they were crunchy, a little salty, and totally cheesy. That’s pretty much all I’ve ever needed to be sold on a snack.
Even though I’ve been making homemade version of packaged snacks for awhile now (Klondike bars, Twinkies, Hostess Cupcakes, Nutella, peanut butter cups), I never fail to be amazed at how relatively easy each one is to recreate at home. These replica Cheez-Its were no exception; it takes only 5 minutes to make the dough, then it’s just rolling out and cutting!
Can you believe that these only have five ingredients?! Just cheddar cheese, butter, flour, salt and water. That’s it!
Do you know the incredible thing that happens when a simple list of ingredients is used? You can taste each and every one of them, in all of their glory! These crackers might be the best thing to happen to my kitchen since… well, those peanut butter cup cookies I made yesterday… both were total winners!
These crackers taste unbelievably cheesy and buttery. When I took the pans out of the oven, my Chief Culinary Consultant and I hovered over them, popping cracker after cracker into our mouths until we had to slowly back away from the counter. Needless to say, these lasted a mere day in our house. If I would have had more time before we left, I would have made a double batch for car snacks on our way to the beach. They would have been perfect!
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The directions state to bake these for 15 to 17 minutes. The first pan I baked the lower amount, and found them to be closest to the color of the original Cheez-Its, albeit not quite as crunchy. The second batch I left in for an additional few minutes, and while they were a bit browner than what you’d normally see, they tasted pretty much exactly like them (minus the chemicals, of course!) and were super crunchy. That second batch was our preference, but feel free to play around and see what texture you prefer.
I think it’s safe to say you should just go ahead and make a double batch of these replica Cheez-Its before you get seriously upset with someone for eating the last one!
One year ago: Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Two years ago: Colossal Reese’s Pieces Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three years ago: Gazpacho
Four years ago: Baby Shower Cookies
Seven years ago: Dark Chocolate Chip Scones
Homemade Cheez-Its
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the cheese, butter, and salt on low speed until combined. Add the flour and mix on low until pebbly. Slowly add 2 tablespoons of the water and mix as the dough forms a ball. If needed, add the additional tablespoon of water a little at a time until the dough forms. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin 10x12-inch rectangle (the dough should be no more than ⅛-inch high). Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares, then transfer them to the baking sheets.
- Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until puffed and browning at the edges. Immediately move the crackers to wire racks to cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Great recipe Simple and easy to make! Way better than store bought!!and I can pronounce everything that is in them and there isn’t any fillers or preservatives. My co-workers loved them too!! Thank you for such a great recipe from one brown eyed baker to another!!
I made these a couple days and they were SO GOOD! I haven’t stopped obsessing over them since. I ended up needing quite a bit more water than the amount called for but once I got it figured out they turned out beautifully. Thank you!
The first thing that caught my eye about this recipe was that it is not deep-fried. I had always considered Cheese Its to be a deep fried treat. As much as I loved them, I avoided buying them or eating at parties. Do you have a nutritional break down on this yummy treat? It would help since I must watch carbs and salt. That said, the rest of t he gang will eat most of them anyway, thereby taking temptation out of my way. Aargh! I can do this. Not to worry!
Hi Coreen, I don’t have a nutritional breakdown, but I know there are some free sites that allow you to plugin ingredients and quantities to get that info. I believe MyFitnessPal is one of them (they also have an app). Hope that helps!
they turned out great my lil sis loved the she kept begging for them this recipe was so very very great
These are a little more expensive than buying cheesits but so much better – thank you!
This recipe is really good they only thing that I though might have helped me when I was baking was, spraying the wax paper. Other than that this recipe was really good!
I see the look alike Cheez-it type hole in the center of your crackers, but no mention of doing it. Do you poke a hole in each prior to baking? Thanks.
Hi Sammy, Yes, I used a toothpick!
I only make foods with real ingredients. Would it be possible to substitute the all purpose flour for King Arthurs whole wheat white flour?
Hi Michele, Yes, that substitute should work fine (although I’m sure you’re aware the flavor will be slightly altered).
Do you use packaged shredded cheese or do you shred it? Thanx
Hi Alexis, I shred my own. I only buy the packaged shredded cheese for things like topping tacos or chili.
Made this, added a little extra cheese. It came out kind of puffy, more like bread than crackers….but it got eaten right up by everyone.
these were the best cheese snacks ever .
the only problem with them is that they are sooo good you can’t stop eating them!!!!!
Really good snap shots! It looks like a treat for the weekend!Oh boy, these are going to be dangerous for me. Can’t wait to make them!
Thank you for posting this recipe…these are so quick and easy to make and I have been experimenting with different cheeses (like pepper jack). My only problem is I can’t get them to stay crispy even though I store them in an air-tight container. Any idea what I’m doing wrong?
Hi Reva, The thinner you roll them, the crispier they will be… make sure they’re not too thick. And make sure you cool them completely on wire racks.
Would it be ok to use White Whole Wheat Flour instead of All Purpose Flour? Just wondering because I only have a little All Purpose Flour, but I have some White Whole Wheat flour!
Hi Mariana, I haven’t tried substituting white whole wheat, I probably wouldn’t do a 100% replacement, but more like 25% or 50% at the most.
Thanks!!! I made them and they turned out great! (I ended up getting more all-purpose flour!) :)
These are deadly little darlings. The advice about just caving in to a double batch is good. I took them to an end-of-summer cookout and they were gone almost instantly. I was then chastised for not bringing more. Excellent recipe.
My 1959 KitchenAide mixer does not have a paddle attachment… Any suggestions?
Hi Susan, You can just use your regular beaters.
I remember seeing an article on weird stuff in processed foods, and powdered duck feathers are the ‘anti-caking agent’ in bagged shredded cheeses, Yummy! Shred the real stuff instead.
I have made these twice now and for some odd reason I can’t get them crunchy they come out of the oven soft.
I solved the lack of crunchiness by putting any that were too soft on a glass pie plate after baking and zapping them at 10 sec. intervals in the microwave until they were crisp. I turned some over between zaps.
I used a round melon baller for some, and poked a blunt toothpick through the hole to remove from that gadget, which served 2 purposes–dock the cracker and push it from the melon-baller. I liked the pizza-type ruffly cutter for others. If any holes start to close up before baking, twirl a toothpick in the center. I broke the toothpick in half and used the wider center to poke the holes. When they are crisp, they taste very much like Cheez-its.
Clarification: I obviously use the melon-baller just to press out a flat, round cracker shape after I rolled the dough. If you have something like a pill bottle, that would work, too, as a cutter. I set a sponge under the parchment paper when I press out the round dough circle because it’s easier when the surface has some “give.”
I made these as well as the cheesy bacon-wrapped dates for an Oscar part on Sunday. They were very addictive! I absolutely agree that the longer bake time is better. The super crunchy texture and taste is just better that way. I can’t wait to try it with other types of cheese! Next time I want to use a combination with maybe pepper jack or colby? We shall see!
can we let it refrigerate over night?
Hi Kristen, Yes, you could!
These are really good, will make again!
So easy and simple to make!!
Made these today with a smoky chipotle cheddar. Took them to a Cards Against Humanity party and they were a smash hit! Thank you, thank you :-)
Is it essential to refrigerate for the 1hour or can you get away with skipping that step if times short?
Hi Ally, I would not skip the refrigeration – the dough will likely be too soft to roll out and work with and the crackers may spread a bit during baking if not chilled.
Is it really that easy? This could be dangerous.
These are awesome! All four of my kids immediately requested them in their lunchboxes! Definitely better when cooked longer, browning on the edges and bottoms, I will make these again and again!
I’ve had this recipe on my list of treats to make for a while, and I finally got around to it the night before last. …kind of. Sunday afternoon, I mixed up the dough (all by hand – this worked fine for me), and then realized I didn’t have enough time to chill the dough and bake it before I had to head out for the evening. I’ll admit, at this point, I was a little skeptical. It pretty much looked like a pile of cheesy, orange playdoh. With nothing to lose, I wrapped the dough up in plastic wrap and tossed it in the fridge until Monday evening. I let it thaw on the counter for 20 minutes or so, rolled it to 1/6″ (according to my rolling pin guides), and put a sheet full of the cut out squares in the oven. When I checked on them a few minutes later, they were puffing up, and starting to really smell like Cheez-its! And after the full 15 minutes of baking, I was both amazed and excited to try them. They didn’t disappoint at all – they were absolutely delicious, and they actually looked like the pictures here. They didn’t taste exactly like Cheez-its, but they were still wonderfully cheesy and puffy crackers, and a huge hit at my house. Thanks for the recipe!
These are delish! They were a tad salty for my taste (even using the unsalted butter), and definitely saltier than what I’d want to share with my toddler, so I will reduce it the next time. One thing I did when I discovered they weren’t quite as crisp as I wanted was stick them back in the still-warm oven (after it had been turned off) and leave them to crisp up overnight. They were perfect in the morning. I love having a healthier cracker option for my little guy, and may try adding in some whole grain flour next time.
I stumbled across your site while looking for cheesy Mac and cheese recipes. That was three days ago and I made these crackers and your chocolate chip cookie cake. Both are A-mazing!!! Thx for a wonderful site to reference!!!! ;-)
Love the use of the ruler for making sure crackers are the same size. Techniques like these are used professionally and I love to see them in use for the home. Great recipe. I am starting to make these right now.
These are awesome! My fifth grader wants to take them for lunch tomorrow to show his friends!