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Best Crispy Homemade Baked Cheez-It Crackers Recipe

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This recipe delivers unbelievably crispy, sharp cheddar crackers that taste just like the real thing—maybe even better. Made with simple pantry ingredients and real cheese, they are perfect for snacking, customizable, and surprisingly easy to make from scratch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2–3 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

  1. Grate the sharp cheddar cheese finely. Cut the cold butter into small cubes. Place both back in the fridge while preparing dry ingredients.
  2. In a food processor, add the all-purpose flour, fine sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Pulse 4-5 times to combine.
  3. Scatter the cold butter cubes over the flour mixture. Pulse about 10-12 times until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
  4. Add the grated cheddar cheese to the food processor. Pulse another 8-10 times until the cheese is evenly distributed and the mixture looks like a crumbly, yellow meal.
  5. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of cold water through the feed tube. Process until the dough just starts to clump together. If it seems dry, add the third tablespoon of water. The dough should hold together when pinched but not be sticky.
  6. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Gather it into a ball, then flatten it into a 1-inch thick disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  7. While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  8. On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness.
  9. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1-inch squares. Gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut again.
  10. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheets, placing them about 1/2 inch apart. Using a toothpick or a skewer, poke a small hole in the center of each cracker. Lightly sprinkle the tops with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
  11. Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the crackers are a deep golden brown around the edges.
  12. Let the crackers cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Cold ingredients are crucial for flaky crackers. If the dough gets too warm, chill it again. Watch the oven closely in the last 2 minutes to prevent burning. For extra crispiness, roll the dough thin and bake until deeply golden. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Keywords: homemade Cheez-Its, baked crackers, cheddar crackers, crispy crackers, snack recipe, copycat recipe, gluten-free option

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