This recipe makes 12-14 dozen crackers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Editor's Tip:<\/em> Feel free to re-roll the scraps to make sure you don't waste any<\/em> of this cheese cracker dough.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Add extra fiber, iron and protein to these homemade Cheez-Its by replacing 1\/2 cup of the all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour. (Then try some of these other whole wheat flour recipes<\/a>.)<\/p>\r\n\r\n Looking for vegan Cheez-Its? Swap the cheddar cheese for your favorite vegan cheddar cheese and add 1-2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast<\/a> for extra tangy flavor. Then, opt for 4 tablespoons of your favorite vegan butter (like Earth Balance) or olive oil instead of butter. Prepare and bake as directed in the original recipe<\/p>\r\n\r\nStep 8: Poke<\/h4>\r\n
\r\n\r\nTransfer the squares to parchment-lined baking sheets. Then use a toothpick or skewer to poke a hole through the center of each.\r\n\r\nIf desired, brush the crackers with a little beaten egg wash to give them some shine.\r\n
Step 9: Bake<\/h4>\r\nSprinkle the crackers lightly with flaky sea salt (here's why it's the best type of salt<\/a> for these crackers), then bake for 15-18 minutes, until crisp and golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.\r\n\r\nEditor's Tip:<\/em> For extra toasty Cheez-Its, let them bake for 20-22 minutes\u2014just keep an eye on them, so they don't burn.\r\n
Tips for Making Homemade Cheez-Its<\/h2>\r\nMaking homemade Cheez-Its is an easy, kid-friendly baking project<\/a> that's great for bakers of all skill levels. While the recipe is pretty forgiving, here are some of our best tips for homemade Cheez-Its:\r\n
Keep ingredients cold<\/h3>\r\nStart with cold butter and water and<\/em> chill the dough thoroughly before baking. This is important for Cheez-Its (and pie crust<\/a>), so don't skip or rush the process. Cold ingredients help make the crackers crisp and flaky, and chilling the dough ensures the crackers hold their shape while baking.\r\n
Don't overwork the dough<\/h3>\r\nDoing so will yield tough, chewy crackers. When mixing the dough, it should act like wet sand where it's crumbly but holds its shape when pressed together.\r\n
Poke holes in your Cheez-Its<\/h3>\r\nIt may be tempting to skip poking a hole into every cracker before baking, but the little holes serve an important purpose. They allow steam to escape while the crackers bake, preventing the crackers from puffing too<\/em> much and helping develop that signature crispiness.\r\n
How to Make Homemade Cheez-Its Your Own<\/h2>\r\n
\r\n\r\nOnce you've mastered making copycat Cheez-Its from scratch, feel free to get creative and make your own recipe with different types of cheese. Here are some of our favorite Cheez-Its recipe adaptations to try:\r\n
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Whole Wheat Cheez-Its<\/h3>\r\n
Gluten-Free Cheez-Its<\/h3>\r\nYou can convert this recipe to gluten-free<\/a> by using your favorite gluten-free 1-to-1 baking blend instead of all-purpose flour. Note that the water may need to be slightly increased, and the baking time for your gluten-free Cheez-Its may need to be adjusted depending on the baking blend selected.\r\n
Vegan Cheez-Its<\/h3>\r\n
How Do You Store Homemade Cheez-Its?<\/h2>\r\nHomemade Cheez-Its can be stored at room temperature for up to a week. Note that if they're tightly sealed, they'll start to lose some of their crunch by day two or three. An empty Cheez-Its or cereal box is a great storage container for homemade cheese crackers.\r\n
What Can You Eat with Copycat Cheez-Its?<\/h2>\r\nOf course, Cheez-Its are perfect on their own, but here are more ways to love your homemade cheese crackers.\r\n
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