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Homemade Cheez-Its

Guess what? An improved, updated version of this recipe can be found in my cookbook Classic Snacks Made from Scratch: 70 Homemade Versions of Your Favorite Brand-Name Treats.

If there’s a such thing as an origin story for my first cookbook, Classic Snacks Made from Scratch, homemade Cheez-Its (not homemade Goldfish crackers!) are at the center.

Way back in 2011, when print magazines were still a thing, I had a semi-regular contributing gig at ReadyMade magazine.

And for the magazine’s “Taste Off” column, I was tasked to create a recipe for homemade Cheez-Its as part of a blind taste test.

homemade Cheez-Its from the cookbook Classic Snacks Made from Scratch
Photo: Casey Barber

My from-scratch Cheez-Its would be judged against store-bought brands, both the namesake originals and the host of generics and “natural” versions.

Unsurprisingly, my call for taste test volunteers was well-received.

Putting a bunch of women in a room with a few bottles of wine and asking them to wax poetic on the merits of different cheese cracker brands is something to behold.

(The best comment of the judging panel: “Can we put these on pizza later?”)

homemade Cheez-Its from the cookbook Classic Snacks Made from Scratch
Photo: Casey Barber

Our highly scientific findings? An imperfect Cheez-It is still a mindlessly edible Cheez-It.

But though there’s really no such thing as a bad cheese cracker, the perfect Cheez-It has a few characteristics to set it apart.

It’s got superior crunch, unmistakable cheese flavor that doesn’t devolve into pure saltiness, and just enough grease to leave a light sheen on your fingers.

homemade Cheez-Its
Photo: Casey Barber

Those were the points I took with me when I created my homemade Cheez-It recipe, and the results were so stunningly addictive that I was inspired to continue on the path to creating more homemade versions of everyone’s favorite junk foods.

I started reverse engineering everything from Tastykake butterscotch krimpets to Cheez Whiz.

And two years later, Classic Snacks Made from Scratch was released to the delight of snack fans across the globe.

And even now, in 2019, when I make these homemade Cheez-Its, I am still thrilled by the results. They were my first love and they’re still here for me after all this time.

homemade Cheez-Its
Photo: Casey Barber

With the perfect salty crunch and just enough cheesy grease to make you want to lick your fingers, I guarantee they won’t disappoint.

homemade cheez-its
homemade Cheez-Its from the cookbook Classic Snacks Made from Scratch

Homemade Cheez-Its

Yield: 15 dozen crackers
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Homemade Cheez-Its are crunchy, cheesy, salty, and just a little greasy. As seen in the cookbook Classic Snacks Made from Scratch!

Ingredients

  • 1 8-ounce block extra sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
  • 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) cubed unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup (120 grams; 4 1/4 ounces) unbleached all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cheddar, butter, and salt until soft and homogenous. 
  2. Add the flour and mix on low speed; the dough will be dry and pebbly. 
  3. Slowly add the water and continue to mix as the dough coalesces into a mass. 
  4. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  6. Divide the dough into two pieces and roll each into a very thin (1/8 inch or less) 10x12-inch rectangle. 
  7. Using a fluted pastry cutter, cut the rectangles into 1-inch squares, then transfer to the baking sheets. 
  8. Use the tip of a chopstick to punch a hole into the center of each square.
  9. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the crackers are puffed and browning at the edges. Watch carefully, as the high fat content of the crackers makes it a fine line between golden delicious and burnt. 
  10. Immediately move the crackers to racks to cool.

Notes

Crackers will keep for up to 1 week in a sealed container at room temperature.

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in 2011 and updated in 2019.

FTC Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Good Food Stories LLC receives a minuscule commission on all purchases made through Amazon links in our posts.

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52 Comments

  1. um…I was not invited to this taste test! I want to be sure to note that as far as Cheez snack crackers go, it’s always the “IT” never the “NIP!”

  2. What are you doing to me? First homemade poptarts and now Cheez-its. Okay, I’m going to add these to my list to try. I really like the white cheddar ones though–I guess I should use white cheddar then? Or should I do half and half so that it’s sharp enough?

  3. Oh man. I can practically feel the cheesy goodness of these wafting through the computer screen.

    What?! Home-made pop-tarts? Must search through your archives for that one…

    1. Jen, you could also make the dough in a food processor – just use short pulses to mix the dough so you don’t overwork it. I wouldn’t recommend making it by hand, since it’s pretty dense!

  4. I made these for the superbowl and they are so good! I did not have the correct pastry cutter so I used a small start cookie cutter – cute and tasty. I also added a bit of Parmesan cheese for extra bite. Thanks for the great recipe.

    This would be awesome at a kids birthday party or if you are asked to bring finger food to a party. They were not time intensive and were every bit as good as the hype!

    1. You definitely don’t need a fluted pastry cutter – a plain pastry cutter, a pizza cutter, a knife, a bench scraper, or cookie cutters will all work equally well. The squares are so thin that fork tines probably aren’t even worth the effort.

      I bet those star-shaped Cheez-Its were super cute… if you’ve got photos, feel free to post them on our Facebook page!

  5. My daughter was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease (toxic intolerance to gluten…found in wheat), and I have been lamenting my inability to buy Cheez-Its anymore. I am thrilled to find this post, and can’t wait to try this recipe with gluten-free flour…Thanks!!!

  6. I’ve been experimenting with making a flatbread sort of version of cheese crackers — basically flour, water, a scant bit of canola oil, and cheese — salt and other seasonaings if desired.
    that’s actually worked out quite well (and is easily mixed by hand), but, of course, a bit of a different thing than full on butter cheese crackers, which sound great.

  7. I’m now drooling thinking of these but I already KNOW I can eat the whole box of cheese-its and that means I can’t wait until I try my very favorite xsharp, private stock, cabots cheese in this tasty goodness.

  8. I made these today and were a real hit, used Tilamook Extra Sharp and added in about 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese!! Wonderful. I am going to add some cracked black pepper and possibly some rosemary to the next batch. Thanks for sharing.

  9. IF you have a pasta roller and a couple of pasta cutters (flat and fluted), you can make these fancy and uniform – Also, add some baking soda to “fluff” the crackers. Warning – when using a Pasta Roller, you will discover the “hot spots” in your oven (turn the crackers around twice).

  10. What if I don’t have a paddle attachment? Will regular beaters do something weird to it? Can I mix it by hand with a wooden spoon?

    These sound amazing! Maybe I’ll try a half batch with regular beaters to see what happens!

    1. Mrs. Worcester, it’s a very stiff dough (like a pie crust, but a bit tougher) so you need some horsepower to really work the cheese in – unless you’re Madonna, I don’t think a wooden spoon would cut it. If you have a food processor, you can bring the dough together using the blade attachment: pulse all ingredients except the water together, then add the water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream with the food processor running until the dough forms.

    1. Bethany, the homemade Cheez-Its will keep for at least a week in an airtight container at room temperature. Beyond that, I can’t tell you because we’ve never had leftovers for very long!

  11. When reading the comments I see that some of you are not aware that Cheez-its ARE made with real cheese; thousands and thousands of pounds, most of it made in a small rural town in Ohio. Cows in Ohio are busy providing milk for your Cheez-its cheesiness.

  12. Whether or not store bought Cheez-Its contain real cheese isn’t the issue for me. I love making good stuff myself. Perhaps there’s a self-sufficiency motivation at work here, but I enjoy knowing that I can make my favorite things myself in the event that [God forbid] Cheez-Its become a thing of the past :)

    1. Nate, you hit the nail on the head! There’s something so satisfying about making things by hand – whether it’s Cheez-Its, a batch of ice cream, or bacon.

    1. Jeanne, you could freeze the dough (it’s similar to pie dough) as long as it’s well-wrapped. Thaw in the refrigerator for about a day before rolling out.

  13. Hi Casey, biscuits look great, can’t wait to make them. I’m in Australia and we use grams in baking… the amount of cheese you suggest, is that 18oz or 1 and an 8th oz.? Then my conversion will be more accurate.

    1. Hi Fiona, thanks for checking in from Australia! The amount of cheese is one 8-oz. block of Cheddar (which is also a half-pound of Cheddar by weight). Hope that helps with your conversions!

  14. Wondering if it would be possible to use coconut oil rather than butter? It tends to be a bit greasier in recipes so also wondering if you had a suggestion for the substitution?
    These look amazing!!

    1. Hi Sarah, I’ve never used coconut oil in place of butter in this recipe. You’re more than welcome to try it, but I can’t vouch for its success!

    1. Holly, believe it or not, the holes in crackers (not just Cheez-Its, but Ritz and Town House and Club, etc.) do have a specific purpose! They are called “docking holes” and help vent the moisture and steam that builds up in the cracker as it bakes, thus preventing air pockets from forming. You can skip them, but you’ll have taller and puffier crackers as a result.

  15. I’m an avid make-from-scratch cook but crackers never seemed to be on my radar as something I could make myself. I can’t believe how easy it is and I don’t know why I never knew about it before! This wonderful easy recipe was such a huge hit with my 5 boys that they ate most of them for their after school snack. They will definitely be made again and again.

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