Sharp Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Isn't it too bad that these days we can't trust what's written on a package from the grocery store.  I don't know if they're hiding ingredients or even what some of those ingredients are.  You almost need a dictionary just to buy something these days.  I find it's easiest to just make certain things myself.  At least I know what's in it. :)

My daughter has been asking for some cheese crackers so I finally had to break down and make some. I was really surprised how easy this recipe was. The longest part of the whole thing was actually cutting out all the tiny little rectangles and putting them onto the cookie sheet. 

You make the dough, cut it in half and refrigerate it for about an hour, then take some out and roll it very thin. Cut shapes and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. 

Bake until golden brown and crispy. 

Don't forget to poke some holes in the tops, otherwise they'll puff up like little balloons. 

I loved the flavor of these crackers.  The sharp cheddar is really noticeable.  If you click on the link below you'll see how Joy the Baker made some chili cheese crackers for the adults.  Actually kids would probably enjoy them also, just not my kid.

Sharp Cheddar Cheese Crackers

Recipe from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper, I used white pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp cold water

Cooking Directions

1. Combine the butter and cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer and incorporate well. The mix will be very soft at this point but that's OK.
2. Add the salt and pepper and slowly add the flour. The mixture will look try now, like sand.
3. Add the water one Tbsp at a time until the dough comes together and pulls away from the bowl. Add up to 1 tsp more water if needed but you want the dough to be moist not wet.
4. Break the dough in half and put each half in a disk shape and wrap in plastic wrap.
5. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes but 1 hour is best.
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
7. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
8. Work with one dough disk at a time. Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough very thin, about 1/8 of an inch.
9. Cut the cracker shapes and put them onto your prepared cookie sheet. Poke a hole in the top of each cracker to prevent too much puffing.
10. Bake for 13-15 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown.
11. Let the crackers sit on the cookie sheet until they cool before removing them to an airtight container.
12. **See the original post from Joy the Baker for some other seasoning options**

Graham Crackers

I've been dying to try this recipe ever since I saw it on "Smitten Kitchen".  I've tried the Martha Stewart graham cracker recipe also and it was very good.  That was long before I had a blog so I'll have to make them again for you sometime and compare.

One thing I learned from the first time I made graham crackers is to roll them out thin so they stay crispy.  No problems with crispiness here.  I love the crunch and I'm hoping to experiment with a smore soon for the ultimate test. Or just because I love smores.  Whatev's.

If you're planning to make some graham crackers for yourself just remember that it is a multiple step process.  After you make the dough it needs to chill again before you can roll it out and cut it, then it chills again before you a bake it.  That's what makes it nice and crunchy.

I used a food processor for this but you could use a stand mixer or even do it by hand.  Smitten Kitchen has all the details on her site.  Link below.

You want your butter to be very cold...frozen in fact.  That's what helps make the crunch. 

Adding the lovely honey mixture that gives graham crackers their distinctive flavor.

Nice and thin.  Keep this dough cold so it's easier to work with. Work fast. 

After cutting and poking holes in them they need to chill again before baking.

There is no way I can do justice to the original post from Smitten Kitchen so I just put her link below.  I love these graham crackers and plan to make them again.  Definitely a keeper!

I found this recipe at "Smitten Kitchen" here and didn't change a thing.

Homemade Cheese Crackers

Ya know the cheese crackers you buy at the grocery store? You know the one's you can't stop eating and are a huge hit at parties? OK, well I decided to make some of those. The reason you ask? Not really sure, other than I like to challenge myself. Actually, I really wanted to see if they were difficult because I was thinking perhaps they'd be a better snack option for my daughter. Turns out I was right. These have a ton fewer ingredients then the box from the store and they taste pretty darn good. I took them to work and had my co-workers try them and they all seemed to like them. I think the next time I make these I'll add some salt to the tops right as they come out of the oven. One of my other co-workers suggested making them spicier, like a cheese straw which I think would be delicious. As you can see in the picture above, my friend Amanda located some cheese powder from a Farmers Market a couple of hours from here and picked it up for me. I've seen cheese powder you can order online too, next time I'm going to get white cheese powder and see if it makes any difference in flavor.



The dough is very simple. Just add some flour, cheese powder, baking soda and salt together and combine. Next add the cold unsalted butter and use either a fork or a pastry blender until they look like wet sand. Next add the vinegar and the water until a dough forms. I did like the recipe said and used my hands to really get this mixed together as the flour didn't seem to want to combine very well at the bottom of the bowl.



Next, wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.



After the dough is chilled, take it out and cut it in half. Now roll one half out as thin as possible on a floured piece of parchment paper. These will puff up a little once baked so thinner is better. I used a pizza cutter to cut them into approximately 1 inch squares. Now poke the tops with a fork so the air can escape and they don't blow up like balloons! Now repeat with the second half of the dough.



Bake the squares in a 375 degree oven for about 10 - 14 minutes keeping a careful eye on them as they will burn quickly. This is the part where I'll probably add some additional salt on top just as they come out of the oven. I hope that you like this recipe and make them often.

Here is where you can find the original recipe, but I've copied it below also:
http://kitchenilliterate.wordpress.com/2009/01/12/homemade-cheese-crackers/

1 1/4 C. all purpose flour
1/3 C. cheese powder
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter
1 tsp. vinegar
3-5 Tbsp. water

Mix the first four ingredients together, then add the cold butter and mix with a fork or a pastry blender until it resembles a fine wet sand.
Add the vinegar and water until a dough can be formed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Roll the dough out on a floured surface until very thin, cut into 1 inch squares and bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 - 14 minutes.