Homemade Cheez-Its

Ingredients

• 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese (shredded; other combinations of favorite hard cheeses may be used, such as white cheddar with a little Gruyère)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (plus a small amount for the work surface and rolling pin if needed)
• 1.5 tsp cornstarch
• 0.25 cup salted butter (cut into 4 pieces)
• 2 tbsp cold water
• salt (a pinch, added to the dough)
• sea salt (for topping)

Steps

1. 1

   Add the shredded cheddar, flour, cornstarch, and the pinch of salt to a food processor or blender. Process until combined.

2. 2

   Add the butter one piece at a time, processing after each addition, until the mixture resembles wet sand, about 30 seconds.

3. 3

   Add the cold water and pulse until the dough forms large clumps.

4. 4

   Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Divide it in half and use your hands to pat each portion into a square; this makes the chilled dough easier to roll out. If the dough feels dry, moisten your fingers with cold water.

5. 5

   Wrap each dough square in parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes or for up to 2 days.

6. 6

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

7. 7

   On a lightly floured surface, roll each chilled dough square directly on its parchment paper or silicone mat. Add only a tiny amount of flour on top if needed to keep the rolling pin from sticking; do not flour the parchment or silicone mat.

8. 8

   Trim the edges and slice the dough into 1-by-1-inch squares. Leave the squares together on the baking surface; they will break apart easily after baking.

9. 9

   Use a skewer or chopstick to poke one hole through the center of each square.

10. 10

    Lightly sprinkle the crackers with sea salt.

11. 11

    Bake until the crackers are golden brown around the edges, about 16–18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through baking. For crunchier crackers, bake for about 20 minutes, watching closely because they can burn easily.

12. 12

    Remove the crackers from the oven and let them cool. They will continue to harden and crisp as they cool. Once cool, break them apart.

Notes

The source mentions a final storage step in the comments, but the comments were not provided, so storage instructions cannot be extracted. The crackers may be baked until extra toasty if desired, but take care not to overcook them.

Nutrition per serving

• snack
• baked
• homemade
• cheesy
• vegetarian
• kid-friendly
• make-ahead