Bake a batch of these amazing homemade cheddar cheese crackers! Made with only six simple ingredients, they're perfect for adding cheesy, crunchy goodness to your snack time or cheese platter.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
This page may contain affiliate links; please see my full disclosure for policy details. I earn commissions if you shop through the links on this page.
Store-bought crackers like Cheese-Itz are definitely tasty, but did you know you can whip up your own cheesy delights at home with just six simple ingredients? Skip the preservatives and opt for real cheese, flour, salt, butter, herbs and water to create a batch of homemade cheese crackers. In just a few minutes, you'll have your dough ready. After a quick chill in the fridge for about a half hour, roll it out, cut it into your favorite shape, pop it in the oven and bake. Easy, peasy, cheesy crackers!
Whether you're looking for an afternoon snack or a party appetizer, these homemade crackers are the perfect choice. So grab your favorite cheese and get ready to impress your friends and family with this tasty recipe for a new favorite snack!
Reasons To Love This Recipe
- What could be better than snacking on homemade crackers made with your favorite cheese?
- These crackers can be gluten-free by using rice flour, or you can use all-purpose flour.
- You may think making crackers from scratch is a lot of work, but I am here to tell you it is easy to do. Simply mix the dough, roll out the dough and cut the dough into rounds, and bake.
- You do not need store-bought crackers anymore when you can make your own.
- The quick and easy recipe makes about 35 to 50 crackers, depending on how you cut them. Have fun with the shapes; I'm making mine round today, but making square or diamond shapes would be great, too.
- The great thing about making your own cheesy crackers is you can customize them any way you want.
What Is The Best Cheese For Crackers?
- A block of hard cheese works best. Skip the pre-shredded cheeses coated with starch, which changes the consistency of the dough.
- Sharp yellow cheddar cheese is always delicious; mild or white cheddar cheese can also be used.
- Other tasty cheeses to use: Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Gouda, Havarti, Swiss, Cojtia or Parmesan.
- When I can find Cotswold cheese, I will use that. It's one of my favorite cheeses and adds the best flavor to these crackers. Look at Trader Joe's.
What is Cotswold cheese?
Cotswold Cheese originated in England and is a semi-hard cow's milk cheese similar to cheddar cheese with chives. This delicious golden-yellow cheese has a hearty taste that is creamy and buttery with the extra savory flavor of chives.
Cheddar Cheese Crackers Ingredient
Cheese—Use a block of cheese that crumbles easily or can be cut into small cubes. Make sure you use cold cheese.
Rice flour: You can use white rice flour, which is a gluten-free flour, or all-purpose flour. I've used both for this recipe.
Herbs - I like rosemary and chives but feel free to add the herbs you like, or you can leave them out. The Cotswold cheese contains chives, but I still add more chives when I use that cheese.
Sea Salt —I like using very fine sea salt on top of the crackers, but you can also use kosher salt.
How To Make Cheddar Cheese Crackers
Step 1. Crumble the Cotswold cheese into small pieces for easier processing. Or, if using another cheese, cut it into very small cubes.
Step 2. Add all the ingredients except the water to the bowl of a food processor, and, with short pulses, pulse until the ingredients are coarsely combined.
Step 3. Add one tablespoon of ice water at a time to the food processor and process in short bursts until the dough forms and becomes soft and holds together. You may not need the full amount of water.
Step 4. Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap and make a dough ball, then wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Step 5. Once the dough is chilled, turn it onto a lightly floured work surface and use a rolling pin to roll dough to ⅛" thickness. Using a 2" cutter cut the dough into rounds, or use a fluted pastry wheel and cut the dough into squares.
Step 6. Place the dough rounds on a baking sheet lined with a sheet of parchment paper or a Silpat. Lightly sprinkle with additional sea salt and bake at 400 degrees F. for 13-15 minutes until the crackers are golden brown.
This recipe makes about 35 crackers, perfect for serving with appetizers or as a snack. They are also perfect with a good creamy soup.
Check out the golden brown edges on these crackers...they are so good!
Tips
- Serving Suggestion: Pair these crackers with a variety of dips and spreads to make a flavorful snack board.
- Making in Advance: You can make and refrigerate the dough ahead of time. Simply roll, cut, and bake when you're ready to enjoy fresh crackers.
- Freezing the Dough: This cracker dough freezes well. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then put it in a freezer bag. When you're ready to use it, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then roll and cut the dough.
Variations
- Cheddar Cheese and Cracked Pepper: The sharpness of the cheddar paired with the bite of freshly cracked black pepper creates a bold and satisfying flavor.
- Cojtia Cheese and Chili Powder: The combination of Cojtia's salty tang with the smoky heat of chili powder offers a kick that spice lovers will appreciate.
- Swiss Cheese and Dill: The nutty taste of Swiss cheese combined with the fresh, herby notes of dill creates a refined and refreshing cracker.
- Parmesan Cheese and Basil: The pairing of Parmesan's rich, savory depth with the sweet, aromatic quality of basil makes for an irresistibly elegant snack.
Cracker FAQ's
Thinner is better to ensure a crispy cracker
You can make crackers in any shape, such as squares, circles, diamonds, or hexagons. Just keep the shapes uniform so they all bake the same.
Bake the crackers thoroughly, cool them completely, and store them in an airtight container. If it is humid, bake the crackers per the recipe, then turn the oven off, open the door, and let them cool in the oven.
More than likely, the crackers were not rolled thin enough, baked completely, or cooled completely.
Make sure the unbaked crackers are not touching each other on the baking sheets. This allows the edges to bake properly.
More Cheesy Ideas
- Bake these Pear & Asiago Puff Pastry Pinwheels filled with pistachios and cranberries for a delicious, savory appetizer.
- Bite-Sized Swiss Cheese Quiches are my go-to recipe for brunch, they are easy to make, and everyone raves about the taste.
- Cheesy popcorn is always a favorite, so pop up a batch of Asiago Cheese Popcorn with a sprinkling of rosemary for a fun movie night snack.
- Parmesan Puff Pastry Pinwheels are filled with sweet apricot jam and are easy to make with store-bought puff pastry. They make a great appetizer.
- Cornbread In An Iron Skillet is filled with lots of veggies and cheese.
Storage
After the crackers have cooled completely, transfer them to an airtight container. If you’re planning on keeping them at room temperature, consider placing a piece of parchment paper between each layer of crackers to prevent them from sticking together.
For longer storage, crackers can also be frozen. Simply place the cooled crackers in a single layer on a baking sheet to freeze them individually first. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. This method prevents the crackers from sticking together, making it easy to take out only what you need.
Remember to label your container with the date, as crackers are best used within 3 months for optimal taste and texture.
To enjoy, defrost the crackers at room temperature for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight, and re-crisp them in a low-temperature oven if necessary.
Save this recipe to your Pinterest boards
More to make and eat!
Subscribe here for more great recipes, and follow One Hot Oven for more tasty sweet and savory recipes! Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook
Recipe
Cheddar Cheese Crackers
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice flour or use all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1 tablespoons fresh rosemary chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
- ¼ teaspoon Sea salt, fined grained plus additional salt for sprinkling on top
- 5 ounces Cotswold Cheese or use cheddar cheese, Gouda, Swiss, Havarti, Cojita, Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheeses
- ⅓ cup Ice water
Instructions
- Crumble the Cotswold cheese into small pieces and add to the bowl of a food processor. Make sure to use cold cheese.
- Pull the leaves off the rosemary and chop, and chop the chives. Add both to the food processor bowl.
- Add the flour, salt, and cubed butter to the bowl.
- With the food processor running, add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture forms into a soft dough that holds together. You may not use all the water.
- Turn the dough out on a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk, then wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- On a floured surface, roll the dough to â…›" thick, then cut into desired shapes. I used a 2" round cookie cutter.
- Transfer the cracker rounds on the baking sheet using a thin spatula, then sprinkle with additional sea salt. This just takes a small amount of salt.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the crackers are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets.
- Once the crackers are cooled place in an airtight container for one week.
Notes
Nutrition
First Published: January 1, 2014. Last Updated: March 19, 2024.
Thank you for stopping by the One Hot Oven blog. Please leave a comment to say hello or tell me what you are baking; I always love hearing from fellow bakers. Do you have any questions or want to chat about the recipe? Please visit my About page for information, and I’ll be happy to help!
Hello there, I'm Jere'
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven sharing sweet and savory family-friendly recipes for your cooking and baking inspiration.
veenaazmanov
Cheese is one of my favorite and nothing like making such amazing crackers Homemade. Perfect snacking option.
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
I have been living off of crackers lately, but have never even thought to make it myself! This sounds amazing. bookmarked for later 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I do love a cheese cracker and these look incredible! Might try making these with the kids!
Jere Cassidy
Hope you give them a try, they are really easy to make.
Ellen
Cheese lover here too! All the suggestions sound delicious but the Swiss Cheese and dill are at the top of the list to make.
Pam Greer
These are the best cheese crackers ever! No need to buy store bought when you can make them at home and they are so much better than store bought!
Jere Cassidy
They are certainly addicting and so easy to make. Thanks for the awesome comment.
Heidy
These savory homemade Cotswold crackers are addicting! I love them and will be making a double batch next time I make them!!!
Jere Cassidy
So glad you liked them. They do go fast!!
Ramona
A great idea indeed. I really must make these cheese crackers - one thing that I have never made with my cheese - what afab idea!
Jere Cassidy
I have become a bit obsessed with these crackers and have started using different cheeses. Everybody loves them.
Colleen
These look amazing and so easy. I need to make my own crackers now. Thanks for the recipe!
Kacey Perez
This looks fabulous Jere. I have never made my own crackers before, but I love to entertain. And this is something I definitely think would impress my guests!
Jere Cassidy
Once I made these crackers I have been hooked ever since. They are so easy and you can change the flavorings easily.
Sondra Barker
These look like a great snack! A way better option than those store bought cheese crackers!
Jere Cassidy
It's hard to go back to the store-bought crackers once you make these and realize how easy they are. The only thing, these crackers do not stay crispy for weeks.
Jacqui DeBono
I had never thought to make my own crackers. This is the perfect solution to my snacking - make my own and have them as a special treat!
Stine Mari
I haven't seen that cheese in the stores here, but it sounds so delicious. I also love how these crackers are gluten free - great for entertaining!
Jere Cassidy
I know it's can be hard to find Cotswold cheese, but sharp cheddar is just as delicious.
Marta
These crackers look like the perfect snack for my cheese-loving family.
Emily Zielinski
This looks like a great recipe. Is there any reason why you use rice flour (other than gluten-free)? or are there any other alternatives you would recommend? Its a bit tricky to get ahold of rice flour where I am.
Jere Cassidy
I have only made these crackers with rice flour, however, I will defiantly be testing this recipe with all-purpose flour. Rice flour does not absorb liquid as much as all-purpose flour so I feel I would maybe add a few tablespoons extra. Other than that I feel the regular flour will work. I will be trying this out soon and post it on this recipe post.
Thank you for asking about this.
Beth
These look just delicious - and since they are so easy and gluten-free I'm going to give them a try, maybe today. I'm going to use feta cheese and ghee, since then all my family members can eat them.
Jere Cassidy
Feta sounds delicious. No matter what cheese I use these crackers are always good. Great idea to use ghee.