I got the recipe for the homemade version of Cheez-It-like crackers from the Mommy and Me class my daughter and I attend weekly.  It was originally from Creative and Healthy Fun Food that has many wonderful kid-friendly recipes.

Many people may not know this, but I’m a crazy Cheez-It head.  I love these little crackers so much that I can eat an entire box at one sitting.  I don’t keep a box in the house because I know I’ll lose all self control when it comes to these heavenly little savories, but I figured a homemade version is less evil than the processed kind.

These crackers are delicious, but very, very dangerous at the same time.  I left a bowl on a kitchen counter to cool, and ate almost an entire bowl without realizing it!  The good thing is that my 19-month-old daughter loved them too (although probably not as much as I did)!

I used Herb de Provence but I might try something different next time, as they got a little too “herb-y” if that makes sense.  Maybe even a sprinkle of garlic powder might work well here.  Also, as I noted below, these little things bake really quickly.  The recipe says to bake for 15-17 minutes which, I think, are way too long.  I burned my first batch, and even after reducing the time down to about 10 minutes, that even feels a bit long.  Keep checking the oven frequently.  I also noticed that I liked a slightly thicker crackers, instead of paper-thin ones. They’re cheesier that way!

Homemade Cheddar Cheese Crackers
(Adapted from Creative and Healthy Fun Food)

Ingredients:

2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon spike salt-free seasoning, or any salt free/herb seasoning will work (I used Herbs de Provence)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. (I felt that this temperature is too high.  I baked mine with 375 F.)

Place the first 3 ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse and until a ball forms.

Roll out dough 1/4 inch thick on a floured or parchment-covered surface. Slice into crackers or cut out shapes with a cookie cutter.

(I used my trusted Omnigrip ruler and a pizza cutter to get the 1″ x 1″ squares. And just for fun, I poked a little hole on each cracker to imitate Cheez-It.)

Bake for 15-17 minutes (I think this is way too long, especially if your crackers are very thin. I baked mine for about 8 minutes and they came out great). Serve.