Homemade Cheez-It Recipe

Casey Barber | Good. Food. Stories.

Why buy at the store? Check out this homemade Cheez-It recipe now!

Whole Wheat Cheez Its

The wonderful thing about food is the nostalgic feelings just one bite can bring. No one understands that better than our own Casey Barber, who has written and entire cookbook devoted to the snacks we all grew up with: Classic Snacks Made from Scratch.

From Combos to Doritos, to regional favorites like TastyKakes, Casey has cracked the code to some 70 snacking favorites we know and love, all without preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients!

Today we're sharing with you Casey's famous recipe for Homemade Cheez-Its, the recipe that started it all, because frankly, they're one of our favorite things to nosh.

Cheeze It Making

And here is the recipe for Casey's amazing homemade Cheeze-Its:

Planning a dinner party and need some inspiration?

How about looking for a new slow cooker dinner idea?

We’ve got you covered in our ever-growing Facebook group! If you’re not a member yet, why not?!

Facebook!

We’re chatting cooking techniques, dessert ideas, and everything in between. If you’re already a member, invite your friends to join us too!

Print
Save

Homemade Cheez-It Recipe

    31 Servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Cheddar Cheese, coarsely shredded
  • 1 ounce Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, chilled and cut into 1/2" cubes
  • 2 tablespoons Vegetable Shortening, cut into 1/2" cubes
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 tablespoons Boiling Water, ice cold

Directions

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, blend the cheeses, butter, shortening and salt together on medium-low speed. The mixture should come together loosely and be soft.
  2. Add the flour and mix on low to combine. The dough will be dry and pebbly.
  3. Slowly add the water one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together in to a mass of dough. Depending on the humidity level, you may need more than 2 tablespoons of water to bring the dough together. Add one teaspoon at a time until you have a cohesive dough, if necessary.
  4. Pat the dough into a round disc. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
  5. When the dough is chilled, preheat your oven to 375∞F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Flour a large flat surface, then divide the dough into two pieces. Roll each piece into a very thin rectangle. If you have a ruler handy, the dough should measure 1/8" or less.
  7. Use a fluted pastry cutter (or pizza cutter if you don't mind flat edges) to cut the pastry into 1" squares, then transfer each square to the baking sheet.
  8. Use a toothpick or chopstick to make the signature center holes in each cracker.
  9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until puffed and lightly brown at the edges. Watch carefully, as these crackers can go from done to burnt very quickly, and remember that they'll keep cooking as they cool, so err on the side of caution.
  10. Immediately remove the crackers from the baking sheet to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Notes

  • Store Cheez-Its in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
  • Depending on the size of your baking sheet, you may have to bake off these crackers in several batches due to the large yield of the recipe.

Recommended

Published:
Modified:
Author:
Category:
Copycat
Tags:
Related Recipes:
Copycat Recipes
Recipe Yields:
156 crackers
Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Total Time:
Related Post:
Published:
Author: Casey Barber
Recipe Yields: 156 crackers
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 5 crackers
Servings Per Recipe 31

Amount Per Serving
Calories from Fat 33
Calories 62

% Daily Value*
6%
Total Fat 4g
10%
  Saturated Fat 2g
4%
Sodium 96mg
1%
Total Carbohydrate 3g
0%
  Dietary Fiber 0g
  Sugars 0g
5%
Protein 3g

* Percent Daily Value are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrition Facts are estimated based on ingredients and data provided by Fat Secret. Please consult a doctor if you have special dietary needs.
Casey Barber

About Casey

Casey loves the Mets, Pittsburgh, and all things food, which she writes about on Good. Food. Stories. She's sharing her heritage and authentic Italian recipes as our Italian Fanatic.

Show Comments