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Living Well Mom

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Easy Homemade Cheese Crackers That Kids (and Adults) Can’t Get Enough Of

By Erika in Food for Kids

homemadeThis post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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If you are looking for a nutritious snack that your children will go crazy for, look no further than these homemade cheese crackers! You won’t believe how much flavor is packed into each tiny square or just how easy they are to make!

I’ve been on a quest to replace processed foods in my kitchen with healthier options. It’s been a gradual process because it’s not realistic or affordable to switch everything all at once. At least gradual is working for me, and I’m happy that my family is eating healthier now than ever before.

easy homemade cheese crackers pinterest image this idea now...

Homemade Cheese Crackers (aka DIY Cheez-Itz!)

Cheez-Its have always been a favorite snack for my kids, and they are tasty. I’ll give them that. I’ve been known to enjoy them as a snack too. But while Cheez-It’s aren’t a bad snack, they’re still processed, so they’ve been added to my “avoid-if-possible” list.

White bowl of cheese crackers with a glass of milk in the background

And then I found a recipe for Homemade Cheese Crackers (aka a Cheez-It copycat!).

Making your own little square cheddar crackers is surprisingly simple. The first time I tried it, I was like, “Really? That’s it?!” It was one of those “Why haven’t I tried this before?” moments.

Bowl of homemade cheese crackers (copycat cheez it)


These cheese crackers taste a little different from the store-bought kind, but that’s probably because they’re made with fresh ingredients and have no preservatives other than a little salt for taste.

As a heads up, the texture is slightly different. These are not as crispy as the processed version, though I found you can bake them for just slightly longer to increase the crisp factor.

Kid-Friendly Lunch or Snack

My kids love these cheese crackers! Well, Emily won’t eat them right now, but she’s eight (going on sixteen), and her food preferences change right along with her mood. Which is often.

Homemade cheez-it crackers in a bowl

Since I stopped homeschooling and we put the kids in public school last fall, I’ve joined the lunch box wagon that so many moms ride on. It’s more challenging than you’d think to come up with a variety of healthy snacks. Add in picky kids, and it’s even more tricky.

We rarely (if ever) buy the school lunches because I don’t find them that nutritious. Plus, they’re expensive for what the kids get. So that leaves it all up to me. And I’m perfectly fine with that – it’s been kinda fun to figure out this challenge.

I love packing a bag of these crackers with the kids’ lunches and knowing that I know exactly what they’re eating today. Plus, they have lots of protein thanks to the real cheese, butter, and milk, so it will help keep the kids fuller longer than a bag of pretzels or whatever old snacks I used to pack.

Even if your kids don’t go to school, everyone appreciates a delicious homemade cracker! Use these for snack time or as a complement to a meal—they go great with a big bowl of hearty soup, for example.

Easy Cheese Cracker Recipe

This recipe also checks the box of being incredibly simple to make. Mom win!

Would you believe me if I said there are only SIX ingredients in Homemade Cheese Crackers? You probably already have many of these at home! All you need is cheddar cheese, butter, flour, salt, a little milk, and optional red pepper flakes.

bowl of healthy homemade cheddar snack

Have I convinced you yet that you need to try these? These cheese crackers are absolutely worth the effort.

cheese crackers scattered on a table and filling a dish

Ingredients

  • shredded cheddar cheese (I prefer sharp cheddar cheese, but you can also use mild)
  • butter (softened and cut into chunks)
  • all-purpose flour
  • sea salt
  • milk
  • crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Supplies

  • food processor
  • rolling pin
  • silicone mat or parchment paper (for rolling out the dough)
  • pizza cutter or knife
  • something to poke holes in the crackers, like a chopstick (optional but recommended!)
  • baking sheet

How To Make Cheese Crackers

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Then, put all of the ingredients except for the milk into your food processor and pulse until it forms into a dough.

Now add the milk – start with 1/2 tablespoon and pulse. Add more if it’s still too crumbly. It should look like this:

cheese cracker ingredients in a food processor

Just a quick note: I always double the recipe because one batch doesn’t last long with my four hungry kids. That’s why my food processor looks more full than yours might unless you double it too!

Turn all or half of the cheese mixture onto your silicone mat and knead it until it comes together in a ball – just for a quick minute or so.

layout of printable recipe binder pages

Roll it out with your rolling pin. You want to aim for a square or rectangle shape. But if you’re like me, that never happens – and it’s okay. It doesn’t have to be perfect – just try to roll it out so that the thickness is fairly even. You don’t want it too thin, or it will burn.

cracker dough being rolled out with a baking pin

You’ll get the hang of it as you go!

Next, cut little squares using your pizza cutter. You can use a knife, but it’s quicker and easier with a pizza cutter. Again, don’t worry about it being perfect.

These are homemade, y’all! Be proud of your homemade efforts!

Using a pizza cutter to cut homemade crackers into small squares

Grab a piece of parchment paper and line it on a baking sheet. Then, put the cheese dough squares on your greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. You can put them close together because they don’t spread too much.

(Later, if you do have some that bake together, you can just break or cut them apart.)

Use a chopstick or some other small object to poke little holes in the center of each cracker. This is completely optional, so you can skip it if you want. I do think it helps the crackers bake a bit more evenly and get that pretty golden brown color, though, so I recommend giving it a try.

Poking a hole in homemade cheez it crackers

Bake The Cheese Crackers

Bake your cheese crackers for 12-15 minutes. I usually start at 12 and add a minute or two on as needed. Bake until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown.

You can bake them slightly longer for crispier crackers, but keep a close eye on them because it’s easy to burn them once they reach that “crispy” point.

Let them cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before letting your kids have at ’em (or before trying a handful yourself). Believe me, they’re just as addicting as Cheez-Its!

Close up of puffy homemade crackers

Storage

Storing these cheese crackers is easy. Once they have cooled to room temperature, you can put them in an airtight container. They’ll keep fresh in the pantry or fridge for about 3 days.

You can also place the airtight container in the freezer if you want them to keep longer. Here, they’ll be good for 3-6 months, if you can get them to last that long! 😉

More Recipes For Kids

  • Crispy Baked Chicken Nuggets With Just 7 Simple Ingredients
  • 15 Minute One-Pot Easy Sloppy Joes
  • Instant Pot Mac and Cheese (Gluten-Free and Kid-Approved!)
  • Rainbow Fruit Salad…Kid-Approved!
how to make cheese crackers pin
Print

Homemade Cheese Crackers

homemade cheese crackers in white bowl with blue place mat
Print Recipe

A tasty homemade version of cheese crackers with just six ingredients.

  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 35 mins
  • Yield: 50 1x
  • Category: snacks
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened and cut into chunks
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2–1 tablespoon milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Put all 4 or 5 ingredients, except the milk, in your food processor and pulse until it forms into a crumbly dough. Add the milk – start with 1/2 tablespoon and pulse. Add more if it’s still too crumbly.
  3. Turn all or half of the cheese mixture onto your silicone mat and kneed it until it comes together in a ball. Just for a quick minute or so.
  4. Roll it out with your rolling pin. You want to aim for a square or rectangle shape, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Just try to roll it out so the thickness is fairly even. You don’t want it too thin or it will burn.
  5. Next cut little squares using your pizza cutter.
  6. Put the cheese dough squares on your greased or parchment paper lined baking sheet. You can put them close together because they don’t spread too much.
  7. Use a chopstick or some other small object to poke little holes in the middle. This is completely optional, so you can skip it if you want.
  8. Bake your cheese crackers for 13-15 minutes. I usually start at 12 and add a minute or two on as needed. Bake until the edges are just starting to turn brown.
  9. Let cool and enjoy!

Keywords: cheese crackers, snacks, kid-friendly

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    Filed Under: Food for Kids, Recipes, Snacks Tagged With: homemadePublished on April 12, 2022

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    About Erika

    Erika Bragdon is a second-generation homeschooling mom with 3 kids at home and 1 in college. She lives in the beautiful hills of New Hampshire on a small farm and loves writing, baking, nature, and sharing flower essences and more natural solutions with moms.

    Comments

    1. Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says

      May 14, 2015 at 8:57 am

      I love this so much. My little one is obsessed with Cheez-Its, so he is going to LOVE these.

      Reply
    2. susan says

      May 14, 2015 at 9:25 am

      My husband just loves these cheese crackers! To be able to make them at home, well I am sure he would be so happy!

      Reply
    3. Dawn says

      May 14, 2015 at 12:04 pm

      Those look so yummy! These are pretty much home made Cheese Its! Yay!

      Reply
    4. Amy says

      May 14, 2015 at 7:21 pm

      My kids love Cheez Itz so much! This recipe is super easy and tasty I bet!

      Reply
    5. Laura (Lauras Little House Tips) says

      May 14, 2015 at 8:10 pm

      What a beautiful job you did. I love making crackers. It’s crazy how easy they are. Your photography is to be commended. I just love everything about this recipe. Kuddo’s.

      Reply
    6. Marcie W. says

      May 14, 2015 at 8:27 pm

      My kids absolutely love cheese crackers, especially my son, and the thought of making them from scratch at home sounds amazing. I am sure they put the processed versions to shame!

      Reply
    7. Shauna says

      May 14, 2015 at 9:19 pm

      I am totally making these… OH MY GOODNESS< I love cheese crackers and these sound delicious.

      Reply
    8. Felissa @ Two Little Cavaliers says

      May 14, 2015 at 9:29 pm

      These cheese crackers sound super tasty! I love that there are only a few ingredients!

      Reply
    9. Tammileetips says

      May 14, 2015 at 9:47 pm

      I never would have thought these were this easy to make!! They sound delicious, I have been trying to cut out processed foods as well.

      Reply
    10. Nancy @ Whispered Inspirations says

      May 15, 2015 at 9:40 am

      This is amazing! I know my kids would love them and I am always concerned with what’s in store bought crackers!

      Reply
    11. Becca Wilson says

      May 15, 2015 at 2:18 pm

      I definitely pinned this for later to try. My kids love cheese crackers and these look so simple to make 🙂

      Reply
    12. kristin says

      May 15, 2015 at 3:08 pm

      YUM! This looks easy and tasty. My girls would enjoy these.

      Reply
    13. Danielle H says

      May 15, 2015 at 10:11 pm

      Ok, that was crazy simple. Definitely going to have to give this a try. I’d love to get all the processed junk out of our house.

      Reply
    14. Nolie says

      May 18, 2015 at 1:23 am

      My kids would love these. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    15. Ronni says

      May 18, 2015 at 6:19 am

      I love the idea of making these at home! The kids would love them too!

      Reply
    16. Coley | Coley Cooks says

      November 11, 2015 at 8:25 am

      Yes! My family loves cheeze-its, but I hate buying them – they’re full of so much crap. These look incredible! And I bet they’d be really good with some caramelized onion cheddar, too. I’m totally making these for Christmas. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Erika says

        November 11, 2015 at 3:52 pm

        Thanks, Coley. Great idea!

        Reply
    17. Samantha says

      May 2, 2016 at 11:46 pm

      Do you happen to know the nutrition facts? (How many per serving and how many calories per serving)?

      Reply
      • Erika says

        May 3, 2016 at 11:30 am

        Hi Samantha, I don’t, but you can plug in the ingredients on any of the online calorie/nutrition counters and find your answer there.

        Reply
    18. Cora says

      June 23, 2016 at 3:40 pm

      These look so good! How would you store them to keep them around a little longer?

      Reply
      • Erika says

        June 27, 2016 at 10:59 am

        I would store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. I wouldn’t expect them to last much longer because they’re not full of processed ingredients. Great question, Cora!

        Reply
    19. Sara says

      October 28, 2017 at 2:23 pm

      Great recipe ! I’ve had success substituting whole wheat or chickpea flour as well. (Almond flour did NOT work for me,btw).

      Reply
      • Ruby says

        September 9, 2018 at 5:48 pm

        I just tried to make them with oat flour and they just melted together in the oven. I will try whole wheat flour next time.

        Reply
    20. Maddie says

      November 6, 2017 at 8:02 pm

      I would love to try these! Does the recipe work with Almond milk?

      Reply
    21. Nea says

      May 19, 2022 at 3:41 am

      Wow . I made these this morning for my 13 month old and I can’t believe how easy and super delicious they are. Good job with the recipe!!
      I have a question I made these to get my LO calcium intake up. I made 50 so how much cheese will be in 1 square?

      Reply

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