Homemade Cheese Crackers

My kids love goldfish, however, I do not like the ingredients that they come with.

To eliminate all the unnecessary processed foods that my children have been consuming and take that step toward a healthier lifestyle, I've decided to make my own cheese crackers.  Now, I'm no baker or professional cook, so I had to rely on my trusty friend Google for a recipe with a few tweaks of my own.

For my crackers, I added a teaspoon each of paprika and garlic powder and one tablespoon of nutritional yeast for some additional nutrients and cheesiness.

I got the recipe from https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/homemade-cheese-crackers/

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 16 minutes

 Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

 Yield: 128 small crackers

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Description

Make homemade cheese crackers with only 6 ingredients! Chilling the dough for 45 minutes is important– the crackers won’t hold their shape otherwise. You’ll appreciate the straightforward instructions and quick baking time!

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Ingredients

• 6 ounces sharp yellow cheddar cheese, shredded (1 and 1/2 cups shredded)*
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch*
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 6 pieces
• 2 Tablespoons cold water
• optional: sea salt for sprinkling

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Instructions

1. Process cheddar cheese, flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 30 seconds. Add butter and process until the mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds. Add water and pulse until dough forms large clumps, about 10 pulses.
2. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide in half and pat each into a 6-inch square. (No need to use a rolling pin, just pat with hands.) If the dough feels dry, moisten your fingers with cold water. Carefully wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes and up to 2 days.
3. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
4. Unwrap each dough square. Place each on a lightly floured work surface and roll out into a 9-inch square. Doesn’t need to be perfect! Using a fluted pastry wheel, pizza cutter, or small sharp knife, trim dough into a neat 8-inch square. Slice square into 8 strips, each 1 inch wide, then make 8 perpendicular slices, each 1 inch wide. Each 8-inch square will have 64 squares (crackers).
5. Place squares on the prepared baking sheet. Use a skewer or large toothpick to poke a hole through the center of each. Lightly sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 16-18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. For crunchier crackers, bake for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
7. Store leftover crackers at room temperature for up to 1 week. If tightly sealed, they’ll lose their crunch. Feel free to keep the lid slightly ajar to maintain some crunchiness.

Notes

1. Freezing Instructions: You can freeze the wrapped dough instead of refrigerating it in step 2. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature for 10 minutes before continuing with the recipe.