A few readers have shared a homemade “goldfish” crackers recipe with me. I decided to try the recipe (with several modifications), and while the outcome tasted good, the process of rolling out the dough took some time and made a huge mess.
Want to Save this Recipe?
Enter your email below & we'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!
As a busy mom I am a big fan of shortcuts, so the goldfish recipe inspired me to come up with these easy cheesy crackers. Making your own “crackers” from scratch sounds like such a daunting task, but trust me…this recipe is ridiculously easy!
Of course if you make this “easy” version you end up with round crackers as opposed to fun little shapes, but the last time I checked my daughters didn’t discriminate against a circle. They were too busy gobbling up these crackers and asking for more to even think about what shape they were eating.
And these are by no means just for kids. There are so many ways to get creative, which would surely impress any adult as well. Before baking experiment with adding some of these spices to the dough:
- black and red pepper
- fresh or dried rosemary
- diced olives
- diced jalapeños.
Or instead of mixing in herbs and spices, just top off the baked cheese crackers with something fun like pesto and grape tomatoes (just like we did for our dinner club last year). No matter what you end up doing, have fun with it and enjoy!
Easy Cheesy Crackers
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole-wheat flour
- 5 tablespoons butter (cold (cut into tablespoon size chunks))
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese (grated (the sharper the cheese, the cheesier the crackers))
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine all three ingredients in a food processor and blend. The mixture will eventually turn into one big ball chasing itself around the bowl. Be patient because it can take a few minutes.
- Roll the ball into a log about 1 ½” in diameter. At this point you could refrigerate the dough until later.
- With a sharp knife slice ¼” thick pieces off the log (pictured above) and place each one flat on an ungreased baking sheet. Try to rotate which side you are cutting down on because the top of the log does start to flatten a little. It is like your very own homemade slice and bake!
- If you want your crackers to look a little fancy (as pictured above) take a fork and gently mash down the top of each one before baking.
- Bake for 8 - 14 minutes or until golden brown. The thicker the crackers the longer it will take.
These crackers can be stored in the freezer so double the recipe and save some for later!
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Entered on Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday
Paulette says
Can I use a mixer instead of a food processor?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Paulette. It's a very thick dough. You might have more luck by hand. ~Amy
Trish says
How could the recipe be altered to make them gluten free?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Trish. We've not adapted this recipe. You could try using a whole grain GF flour mix. Let us know if you do. ~Amy
Amelia says
Would you recommend salted or unsalted butter?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Amelia. I use salted for this recipe since there is no added salt. ;)
Jennie Wilson says
Do you think this recipe would work with Oat flour? I would like to work toward using a whole grain flour but cannot eat whole wheat.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. We've not tried. Let us know if you do. ~Amy
katie says
how do you store these after cooking like regular crackers in pantry or do you put in fridge?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Katie. For storage beyond a couple days, I freeze them. They are much more perishable than your average cracker. ;)
Kara says
Just made these while my 16 month old is napping. Wow!! Impressed with how easy and delicious they are. Trying not to eat them all before he wakes up.. It's been a struggle for me to find snacks like crackers to give my son that follow all the rules. Thanks! Also I think you have to make these not thinking they will taste like a processed cracker, they are nothing like it, but better.
Chari says
I want to try several recipes that include cheese. Where and what kind of cheese do you recommend. I have been guilty of just buying the cheapest I can find, but realize it isn't the best for me.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Chari. These posts should help guide you: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/07/milk-101-whole-raw-organic-low-fat-etc/ and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/18/cheese-and-other-dairy-products-are-they-processed/. :) ~Amy
Katiebug says
Just wondering how well a cookie press might work to make fun shapes...
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. You should try and let us know. :)
Christy says
Has anyone tried making peanut butter crackers? my 17 mon old son loves these cheese crackers and now I want to give a peanut butter version a try.
Thanks
Jessica S. says
I just made these "crackers" this morning and they are delicious! I followed the instructions and it turned into a nicely formed squishy ball in the foot processor. I don't think I cut them thin enough though - they are more of a cookie texture than a cracker texture. I also think I might add some garlic and salt next time. Has anyone tried making this with cream cheese instead of block cheese? I think these would be delicious to make into little danishes with a fruit topping :)
Jean Carr says
Can I use a regular blender?.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jean. You could try but you can also mix them up by hand. :) ~Amy
Alyssa says
I made these with my mom, and they were very crumbly and didn't work at first. We added a little bit of water, and it was still crumbly, but it was definitely better. After a while, we gave up on the "cookie" idea and rolled it out on a cookie sheet. We then cut them into little squares, so that they resembled Cheese-Its, at least for the most part. After they came out of the oven, they tasted "Meh," to me, so I suggested we add a little salt. Mom sprinkled some sea salt on the "Cheese-Its' and they were a whole lot tastier. So, YUM!
Lori Ann says
I know these can be stored for freshness but once they are baked how long can they be stored? Not that I expect them to last long :) but are they ok for a few days in a ziplock on the counter???
Lori Ann says
Sorry I meant frozen for freshness...
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi there. They will be fine for a couple days on the counter in an airtight container/bag. ~Amy
marcy says
Summer is upon us. I wanted healthy snacks around for my 11 year old son. I found the easy cheesy cracker recipe. On hand I had bread flour and all purpose flour. (in transition to all natural, unprocessed pantry). I just wanted to give you my attempt results. Dry, chewy, biscuity crackers. Good flavor. Next attempt, all wheat flour, smaller, thinner crackers. Thanks again for this great recipe!! love this website!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tiffany. This might help: http://allrecipes.com/howto/baking-with-sugar-and-sugar-substitutes/. ~Amy
Tiffany says
Hi there! Any recommendations on homemade animal crackers? I found a recipe that looks good but calls for 1/2 C sugar. If I want to replace that with honey, is there a substitute chart I can reference to know how much honey to use instead? Thanks!
judi says
I was craving cheese crackers and remembered I had seen this recipe on 100 days. I was pleased to see it only required three ingredients that I always have on hand. I used an Italian 6 cheese blend and some parmesan. I used my hand mixer and didn't have any luck until I added a little water and used my hands to combine. Thy were too crumbly to cut so I ended up rolling the dough out. The thinner the better with these! So good I can't wait to experiment with other flavors.
Jessica says
Made these today. Thinner slices make them crunchier more like goldfish. I made them smaller bite size. Kids and parents like them.
Michelle says
Hi, I just made these crackers and they are pretty good; remind me of gold fish crackers. Just wondering about storage. I see you can freeze them but what about the ones we will eat in the next few days? Should they go in the refrigerator or cupboard? Thanks for this recipe and all the helpful info :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi. You can store them in an airtight container on the counter or cupboard. :)
Victoria says
Loved these! Big hit with my boys plus they loved helping measure out the ingredients :) Thanks!
Denise says
About how many calories would you consider these to be?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Denise. We do not provide nutrition information on our recipes. Our focus is on helping people cut out processed food while replacing them with real/whole foods. These posts help explain our philosophy: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/04/healthy-eating-defined/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/01/23/portion-size-matters/, and https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/10-reasons-to-cut-out-processed-food/. ~Amy
Heather @ Them Teaching Us says
We made these crackers at home and I reviewed the recipe on my blog. Thanks for all of your hard work and wonderful recipes.
http://themteachingus.blogspot.com/2014/04/recipe-reviews-day-easy-cheesy-crackers.html
AmyM says
I made something similar with whole wheat flour, LSA (ground linseed, sunflower and almonds), ground oats, bananas, applesauce, oat milk and only a tiny bit of oil (all whizzed up in a blender or with a stick whiz. We're loving them for on the go snacks!
Tiffany says
What kind of butter do you use and/or recommend?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tiffany. This will help guide you: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/14/mini-pledge-week-10-no-refined-oils/. ~Amy
Nicole says
Could I make these without cheese? I want them for my toddler but she isn't eating cheese yet. Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Nicole, I'm not sure these would turn out well without the cheese. ~Amy
Lara says
I don't know what I'm not doing but it will not turn I to a big ball of dough on the processor. Could my bowl be to big?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Could be, Lara. It should ball up pretty easily. ~Amy
Tricia says
Have you tried rolling them really thin and cutting them out with cookie cutters? I bet my kids would like that.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
That sounds like a good idea. Let us know how they work. ~Amy
Tammy Gonzalez says
I made these and they fell apart when I tried taking them off the pan. What could I be doing wrong?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tammy. Did you follow the recipe exactly? Was your cheese full fat?
Jen says
These were great. I left the crackers in a little longer than called for and they are pretty crisp. I read reviews and added salt to my first batch but ended up liking them better without salt. Very good and so simple!! I could fit all the crackers on one cookie sheet real close to each other- got to love that =)
Tammy says
I read somewhere that you can exchange butter for avocado ... Would that work in this recipe?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tammy. That is not an exchange we've made in this recipe and I think it would change the texture quite a bit. I have used avocado as both fat and binder in other recipes and it has worked well but not in a recipe that I hoped to be somewhat crispy. ~Amy
Erin says
How do you store these (other than freezer), and how long will they last?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Erin. They should be okay in an airtight container for up to a week. ~Amy
Erin says
I made these today with my 2 year old. We made a few alterations to the recipe and we will be making them again in the future. I added a 1/4 tsp of paprika (an ingredient in both cheddar bunnies and goldfish). I also rolled them as thin as possible and cut with tiny cookie cutters. I baked them at 325 for 7 minutes (to keep them from burning, since I rolled them so thin to be more crunchy like a cracker). They turned out to be pretty good and probably closer in texture and crunch to a cheddar bunny or goldfish. Next time I will add a bit of salt to the recipe. After the first batch came out of the oven, I sprinkled the remaining dough crackers with French sea salt, which I thought improved the flavor.
Jessica says
Can these be made without a food processor? I
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jessica. They can. :) ~Amy
Christina says
So would a blender work?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Christina. This dough is really thick. It could over-tax a blender. ~Amy
Kristin says
What other methods would you recommend?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
With a bit of elbow grease, you can make them by hand. ~Amy
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Caitlin. They are not crunchy like goldfish. You could have made them a little too thick but don't expect a a standard cracker texture. :) ~Amy
Caitlyn says
Mine turned out more like the texture of a sugar cookie than a cracker. The flavor is still good and my two year old loves them anyways. Should they be kind of soft and chewy? Or did I not make them flat enough or bake them long enough? I was expecting more like a goldfish cracker textere.
Susan Ziegler says
I used white whole wheat, salted butter & extra sharp cheddar. Used the food processor to shred the cheddar and then removed the cheese from the processor bowl. Added flour to bowl, then cheese, then butter and mixed with chopping blade since my processor manual said dough blade isn't efficient with less than 2 cups of flour. Took less than a minute for the dough ball to start chasing itself around. That's why my post is so specific. I was surprised to read so many comments that said it took forever to mix in the processor, so maybe freshly shredded cheese, order of ingredients, etc makes a difference? Then I used the cookie press to drop the dough. I figured this way I didn't have to roll the log & slice. Very pleased with the results!! Got 55 crackers total. Lesson learned: less complicated cookie press disc is better for this thick dough. It took a lot of effort on the sunflower disc but it was very easy with the heart.
Carol says
Does anyone know how long these last once they are cooked? i.e.. can you make a huge batch and keep them in an airtight container for a week or two?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Carol. They should be okay up to a week. Freeze them if you want to keep them longer. ~Amy
Julie says
My kids and I just made these with four cheeses (muenster, mozzarella, parmesan, and swiss)and a pinch of salt. Instead of making a log to slice, I rolled them thin under a piece of plastic wrap and cut them with tiny star cookie cutters. That way, it makes way more than 24! I baked them for 15 minutes, then tried to cool them on a cooling rack. They're almost all gone and they're still warm!
Amy Oregon says
I made this recipe lactose free with coconut oil, manchego sheep cheese and I had to add an egg to get it to bind. Paprika, cayenne and / or dry mustard are good flavor add-ins! :). I keep in a baggie in the freezer and grab a couple when I need a quick snack.
Franki says
I couldn't' get these to slice thin enough the dough kept crumbling. So I ended up rolling them out and that worked but is a pain. They taste delicious.