Cheez-It Chips Recipe
Crisp homemade cheddar cheese crackers with a deeply cheesy flavor, thin crunchy texture and lightly salted finish.
Contains: Milk · Wheat
Contains milk and wheat. If using a dairy-free or gluten-free adaptation, check the replacement product labels for any allergens you need to avoid.
WHY IT WORKS
Why This Recipe Works
01
Real Cheddar Flavor
Extra-sharp cheddar gives the crackers a bold cheese flavor without relying on powdered cheese or artificial seasoning.
02
Roll Them Thin
Rolling the dough to about 1/16 inch keeps the crackers light and crisp rather than thick and biscuit-like.
03
Prick the Centers
A small hole in each square helps control puffing so the crackers bake more evenly and stay flatter.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Equipment
THE RECIPE
Ingredients & Method
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Ingredients
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Method
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Add the grated cheddar, flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika and garlic powder to a food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
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Add the ice-cold water 1 tablespoon (tbsp) at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition, until the mixture begins to clump into a dough. Press it into a flat disc, wrap it and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Divide the chilled dough in half. Roll one half between sheets of parchment paper to about 1/16 inch thick. Cut into roughly 1-inch squares with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheets, prick the center of each with a skewer or toothpick, and add a very light sprinkle of salt. Repeat with the remaining dough and reroll scraps once.
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Bake for 11 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheets and swapping their positions halfway through, until the crackers are dry on top and deep golden around the edges. Start checking at 10 minutes and remove any thinner pieces that brown early.
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Leave the crackers on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack and cool completely. They become crisper as they cool.
COOKING GUIDANCE
Practical Cooking Notes
Make Ahead
Prepare and wrap the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it refrigerated. Let very firm chilled dough stand for a few minutes before rolling, but keep it cool enough to stay non-greasy.
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Dietary options
Make This Recipe Work for You
Only straightforward swaps are offered automatically. If changing a defining ingredient would effectively create a different dish, that conversion is left out.
Make It Vegan
Change the following ingredients:
Replace8 ounces (oz) extra-sharp orange cheddar cheese, finely grated
With8 ounces (oz) firm vegan cheddar-style cheese, finely grated
Replace225 grams (g) extra-sharp orange cheddar cheese, finely grated
With225 grams (g) firm vegan cheddar-style cheese, finely grated
Replace4 tablespoons (tbsp) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
With4 tablespoons (tbsp) plant-based butter suitable for baking, cold and cubed
Replace57 grams (g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
With57 grams (g) plant-based butter suitable for baking, cold and cubed
Use a firm vegan cheddar-style cheese and a plant-based butter intended for baking. The crackers should remain recognizably cheesy and crisp, although the exact melt and browning can vary by brand.
Make It Dairy-Free
Change the following ingredients:
Replace8 ounces (oz) extra-sharp orange cheddar cheese, finely grated
With8 ounces (oz) firm dairy-free cheddar-style cheese, finely grated
Replace225 grams (g) extra-sharp orange cheddar cheese, finely grated
With225 grams (g) firm dairy-free cheddar-style cheese, finely grated
Replace4 tablespoons (tbsp) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
With4 tablespoons (tbsp) dairy-free plant butter suitable for baking, cold and cubed
Replace57 grams (g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
With57 grams (g) dairy-free plant butter suitable for baking, cold and cubed
Use a firm dairy-free cheddar-style cheese and dairy-free plant butter that behave well in baking. Flavor and browning vary between products, so start checking a little early.
Make It Gluten-Free
Change the following ingredient:
Replace1 US cup all-purpose flour
With1 US cup gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour with xanthan gum
Replace125 grams (g) plain flour
With125 grams (g) gluten-free plain flour blend with xanthan gum
Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free plain flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The dough can be a little more fragile, so roll it between baking parchment and handle the cut crackers gently.
For allergies, intolerances or strict dietary requirements, check the labels of the specific products you use. These swaps do not certify a recipe or ingredient as allergen-free.
Recipe Notes
Ingredient Notes
Use a firm extra-sharp orange cheddar for the strongest flavor and the familiar warm color. Grating cheese from a block works better than pre-shredded cheese, which can contain anti-caking starches that make the dough less cohesive.
Useful Substitutions
Sharp or medium cheddar can replace extra-sharp cheddar in the same quantity for a milder flavor. White cheddar also works, although the crackers will be paler. If using salted butter, reduce the added fine sea salt slightly.
INGREDIENT QUALITY
Quality Note
For the cleanest cheddar flavor and most cohesive dough, grate firm block cheddar just before mixing rather than using pre-shredded cheese.
SPEND LESS
Cost-Saving Tip
Block cheddar is often better value than pre-shredded cheese and works better here. Buy a larger block when it is on offer and freeze the extra in tightly wrapped portions for cooked recipes.
COOKING TIPS
Tips
Grate from a Block
Finely grated block cheddar blends into the dough more evenly and gives a cleaner cheese flavor than most pre-shredded cheese.
Keep the Dough Cold
If the dough becomes soft or greasy while rolling, chill it for 10 minutes before continuing so the crackers hold their shape better.
Roll Evenly
Uneven dough produces mixed results. Thin crackers can burn while thicker ones stay soft, so aim for a consistent 1/16-inch thickness.
Watch the Final Minutes
Cheese crackers can move from golden to overly dark quickly. Start checking early and remove any thinner edge pieces as soon as they are crisp and browned.
MAKE IT LAST
Storing, Freezing & Reheating
Storing
Cool the crackers completely, then keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Trapped warmth can soften them.
Re-crisping
If the crackers lose some crunch, spread them on a baking sheet and warm them at 300°F for about 4 to 6 minutes, then cool completely.
Freezing the Dough
Wrap the unbaked dough tightly and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let it soften just enough to roll.
ESTIMATED PER SERVING
Nutrition
about 12 crackers
Nutrition information is an estimate. Where shown, % Daily Value uses standard US Daily Values for adults and children aged 4+; actual values vary with ingredient brands, exact quantities and portion size.
QUESTIONS
Cheez-It Chips FAQs
Why are my homemade cheese crackers not crisp?
The dough may have been rolled too thick, the crackers may need another minute or two in the oven, or they may have been stored before they were fully cool. They should deepen in color at the edges and crisp further as they cool.
Can I use white cheddar?
Yes. White cheddar works in the same quantity and gives a similar cheese flavor, but the finished crackers will not have the same orange color.
Do I need a food processor?
A food processor makes the dough fast and even, but it is not essential. Finely grate the cheese, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture, then work in the cheese and water just until a dough forms.
How thin should I roll the dough?
Aim for about 1/16 inch, or roughly 1.5 millimetres. Thicker dough makes a more tender cracker, while very thin dough browns more quickly.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it is too firm to roll.
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