Homemade Cheese Crackers

• servings: 128 servings
• active time: 1 hour
• total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

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

Directions

Pulse ingredients together in food processor. Pulse the dry ingredients together: process cheddar cheese, flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 30 seconds.

Add butter and process until mixture resembles wet sand, about 20 seconds.

Add cold water and pulse until dough forms large clumps, about 10 pulses.

Pat into a square. 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.

Chill for 45 minutes. Carefully wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes and up to 2 days. (Without chilling, the crackers lose their shape in the oven.)

Preheat and prep biscuits. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Roll out to 1/8 inch thick. 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!

Slice into 1 inch crackers. If you want, trim dough into a neat 8 inch square first so the edges are neat. Using a pizza cutter, small sharp knife, or fluted pastry wheel, cut each square into 1-inch squares.

Place squares on 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 16-20 minutes. Bake until golden brown around the edges, about 16-18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. For crunchier crackers comparable to the store-bought version, bake for 19-20 minutes.

Let cool. Remove from the oven and cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.

Notes

Store leftover crackers at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep in mind that since there’s no added preservatives, the crackers will soften up after a couple days. Store them in a loosely covered container to maintain some crunchiness. If tightly sealed, they’ll lose their crunch.