Have you ever made your own crackers?
It is one of those things that is so ridiculously easy you will wonder why you never tried it before.
I hauled my 8 year old into the kitchen on his day off to help me make these easy homemade Cheese Crackers.
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Tiny fish shaped cheese crackers are practically a right of passage for American children. Why not let them make their own?
Or make them yourself for a delicious snack or to go along with a festive cheese plate or charcuterie platter.
How to make Cheese Crackers
To make these you simply mix the flour and seasonings.
Add cheese.
Add butter.
Add water to make into a dough.
Roll the dough then cut into your desired shape and bake.
Then BAM! you have crackers. It's not rocket science.
In case you didn't get my subtle hints, the recipe is based on one from There's a Chef in My Soup by Emeril Lagasse which is a great book to pick up for aspiring young chefs.
Suggestions for Homemade Crackers
The two tricks to delightfully crisp, not tough, crackers are:
- Do not overwork the dough (easy said than done with kids). Try to get them to cut the shapes close together so you do not have to reroll the dough too many times. The more you work it the tougher the crackers.
- Bake them until they get crispy. You might need to break a few to get the timing right. You do not want to burn them, but you want them to have a nice crackery crunch. They will crisp up a little upon standing, but if they are still soft out of the oven they will not crisp enough. You can always pop them back in the oven for a few minutes more.
Now that you know the basics, be adventurous and mix up ingredients.
- use different cheese such as cheddar, Parmesan, Swiss, etc.
- use different seasonings such as Italian, Cajun, everything bagel, etc.
- sprinkle a pinch of coarse salt or other seasoning on top before baking.
- have fun with shapes and sizes, such as:
> mini goldfish size cutters or maybe a 3 inch size
> try this roller for rectangular shapes
> or maybe a fluted circle
More Cooking with Kids Recipes from #OurFamilyTable
Here are more ideas for cooking with the kids in your life.
Cooking with the Kids
- Apple Cinnamon Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Glaze from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Brown Sugar Boba Cream Pie from Magical Ingredients
- Cheese Crackers from That Recipe
- Waffle Biscuit Monte Cristo from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you're at it, join our Pinterest board, too!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour (all purpose, or half all purpose half whole wheat)
- 1 cup finely grated cheese (cheddar, monterey, parmesan, etc.)
- 2 teaspoons low salt seasoning
- 4 tablespoons butter (cut into ½ inch cubes)
- 2-4 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Combine the flour, cheese and seasoning in a mixing bowl.
- Add the butter and mix with your fingers until the mix is crumbly.
- Add 2 tablespoons cold water and mix with hands until it forms a soft dough. Add additionally water if necessary (especially if using whole wheat flour). Shape into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375℉
- Roll out the dough to ⅛ inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until crackers are beginning to turn brown. Move to a cooling rack to cool.
Notes
Sound fabulous? Share it!
More Cooking with Kids Recipes
Until next time, happy eating!
~Audrey
Mother of 3
That does look easy! I'm always looking for fun baking ideas to do with my boys. Thanks.
Audrey
Mine loves mixing by hand and of course rolling and cutting.
Lisa/Syncopated Mama
We love homemade crackers around here and yes, they are really easy! We were eating so many of them for a while, I thought we'd all turn into a cracker, but now I'm thinking I have to get us back into the habit again...
Audrey
I'd never even thought of making them until I saw this recipe years ago. I use the same basic recipe and just mix and match whatever is in the house.
Lisa/Syncopated Mama
You know, I'd totally planned to make crackers after reading your post, but then also totally forgot that it was Thanksgiving week - the week that we MAKE ALL THE THINGS - and so now I've bumped "crackers" to this week's to-do list... #FridayFrivolity
Audrey
🙂 I am pretty sure I have your recipe pinned too, which I need to try.
GiGi Eats
I will definitely get my kids involved in cooking when they come into my life, that's for sure!
Audrey
How could kids of yours not love to cook? But enjoy the newlywed stage first okay?
Jess Powell (Babi a Fi)
Oh, yum! I've never thought of making my own crackers 🙂
Audrey
Miss M might enjoy making them in a year or two. I'm sure she'd love to eat them.
Roy Shaffer
Ooooh! That looks yummy and fun! My kids would love to do it for sure.
Audrey
It is fun and so easy to do.