If you have missed those crispy Cheez It crackers since going gluten free, I am so excited to share my newest recipe with you. These cheesy crispy Gluten Free Cheez It Crackers taste just like the the real thing! They are flaky and light and full of flavor!
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Who used to love eating Cheez Its Crackers? I remember loving them way back when before we went gluten free. My kids would snack on Cheez Its and Goldfish! They are the perfect finger food for snacking!! You can dip them into a hot cream cheese dip, or enjoy them plain!
This cheese cracker recipe is also great for making gluten free goldfish crackers! Check out the directions to make this classic kid snack!
Why these crackers are great:
I can't say enough about these homemade gluten free cheese crackers! They are buttery with flaky layers, crispy, and full of sharp cheddar cheese flavors!
This dough is really good for using cookie cutters! I used my small star cookie cutter to make some star shaped crackers too! This dough is not that sticky so it easy to work with!
I also have a delicious gluten free sourdough discard crackers recipe to try if you love to make crackers!
Ingredient notes:
This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)
- Gluten free flour blend - I tested this recipe using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend and King Arthur's Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn't mean others will not work. I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Sharp cheddar cheese - If you want your crackers to be the most like Cheez It Crackers, you want to use sharp cheddar. You can use mild, but the flavor will not be as rich and cheesy. Be sure to check to see if your shredded cheese is gluten free.
- Butter - I recommend using unsalted.
You are seriously going to love how easy this gluten free cheese crackers recipe is to make! I have only recently started to make crackers because I had this image in my mind that they were difficult to make...I wish I had tried sooner because I was so wrong! Crackers are easy to make, and it is easy to customize flavors!
How to Make Gluten Free Cheez Its:
I have had my Hamilton Beach Food Processor for years. It is durable and never lets me down.
Step 1: Add all of your ingredients to a food processor. You want the cheese to get cut up into fine pieces, so mixing by hand will not have the same effect.
Step 2: Mix on medium speed for 30 seconds. This is what your dough will look like. If your dough isn't easy to work with, your gluten free flour blend may be starchier than what I used. If that is the case, a tiny bit more water will help.
Step 3: Preheat your oven to 375º F. Place your cheese cracker dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Dust your rolling pin with some gluten free flour to prevent sticking.
Step 4: Roll the dough out as thinly as you can, where you can still move the cut pieces of cracker. Use a pizza cutting wheel or pasta cutter to make cracker shapes.
Step 5: After you cut the crackers out, use the pizza wheel to gently move each cracker, so there is a distance between them all. This will prevent them from sticking together as they bake.
Step 6: Use a chopstick to poke a hole into each unbaked cracker. Sprinkle the crackers with coarse salt. If you are trying to be low in sodium, you can skip this step.
Don't forget; you can use a mini cookie cutter if you prefer to make shapes like stars and goldfish.
Step 7: Bake the crackers for 15 minutes or until golden.
If you love these crackers, you are also going to love these crispy Gluten Free Cheese Straws!
Tips and Recipe FAQ:
Regular store-bought Cheez Its are not gluten free, which is why I am so excited about this new recipe for gluten free Cheez Its!
Unfortunately, besides gluten, regular Cheez Its has a lot of not-so-healthy ingredients. That is a bonus with my recipe. I use healthy, simple gluten free ingredients.
Most shredded cheese is gluten free, but it is very important to always read the labels to verify the shredded cheese you buy is gluten free.
I store the crackers in an air-tight container.
These crackers should keep fresh for up to 3 days. These crackers do not have preservatives like regular store-bought mass-produced crackers, so they will not keep fresh as long.
Here are the baked cheese crackers in star shape!
More delicious gluten free snacks:
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Cheez Its
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese mild or sharp
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend * see note
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt for sprinkling over the crackers
Optional Additional Seasoning:
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients to a food processor. You want the cheese to get cut up into fine pieces so mixing by hand is not going to have the same effect.
- Blend the ingredients on medium speed for about 30 seconds. If your dough isn't easy to work with, it is possible your gluten free flour blend is starchier than what I used. If that is the case a tiny bit more water will help.
- Preheat your oven to 375º F.
- Place your cheese cracker dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Dust your rolling pin with some gluten free flour to prevent sticking.
- Roll the dough out as thinly as you can where you can still move the cut pieces of cracker. Use a pizza cutting wheel or pasta cutter to make cracker square or rectangle shapes.
- You can also use mini sized cookie cutters to cut out shapes like goldfish!
- After you cut the crackers out, use the pizza wheel to gently move each cracker so there is distance between them all. This will prevent them from sticking together as they bake.
- Use a chopstick to poke a hole into each unbaked cracker. Sprinkle the crackers with coarse salt. If you are trying to be low sodium, you can skip this step.
- Bake the crackers for 12-15 minutes, or until golden.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn't mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add ½ teaspoon.
- I love using sharp cheddar best, but you can use mild. White cheddar will give a slightly different flavor, and it will not turn out with that famous Cheez It orange color.
- Because these crackers have no preservatives, they should keep around 2-3 days in an air-tight container. My guess is they will be eaten up much quicker than that though :-).
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Fearless Dining
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Jeanie RM
I made this today using applewood smoked Gruyère cheese, and a pinch of cayenne. SO DELICIOUS!! And it mixed up in a minute in my food processor. This will definitely be a repeat.
Sandi Gaertner
I love the flavor combination you made, Jeanie. I am going to try to find that flavor of cheese and give it a go.
Gemma Heaney
Any idea how best to make these like chicken flavored crackers
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Gemma, I have never made chicken flavored so I am not sure how to advise you.
Sarah
Made this recipe using King ArthurGF blend and they are delicious. They would be good with old bay or smoked paprika too! You could also twist to make cheese straws.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sarah. Thank you.
Juanita
I just used this to bake a mini muffin cup for some kind of savory bite (egg or tuna salad). I love the chewy texture when it’s warm.
Sandi Gaertner
What a yummy idea. I love how creative you were with this recipe!
Juanita
I just tried this. I experimented with a large size cracker. Not sure how long I can keep the dough in the frig before baking. I shredded a block of sharp cheddar and used onion powder.
Sandi Gaertner
The dough should keep for a couple of days if you want to make the dough ahead. Thank you!
Sarah
***I stuck them back in the oven a few minutes longer (4-5) and it drastically improved the chewiness on the df and gf ones!
Sarah
I have a dairy and gluten allergy in my house so I gave this a try with dairy free cheese and it is yummy. The baked consistency has a little bit of a chewy middle but not bad. It is not very forgiving when you are rolling it so warming it up and kneading it in your hands helps. Using a small cutter is tricky but if you use a cutter such as a 1 inch flower or heart..something without a lot of points such as a star or fish… then it helps with the dough staying together. I have also made these just as the regular recipe gluten free and they are sooo delicious! Thanks for sharing!!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you were able to make this dairy-free as well. Thank you so much for coming to let me know. Which brand dairy-free cheese did you use?
Allison
These are amazing. Taste just like cheez-its! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you loved these crackers. They are so close to the real thing, it is hard not to eat them all :-).