Recipe: Cheddar Cheese Crackers

I visited the King Arthur Flour Factory in Norwich, VT this summer, and it was incredible.  I live in Vermont, but it's still 2 hours away from me.  It's not a leisurely drive, and it's not really on the way to anywhere I want to go.  So, when I came across a recipe for homemade cheese crackers last week and it called for Vermont Cheese Powder from King Arthur Flour, I bit the bullet and placed an online order.  I even paid shipping.  I wanted the cheese powder that much.

I've read that you can do much the same thing using powder from Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, and it would result in a much more Cheez-it colored cracker.  You would want to leave out the salt in that case, for sure.  I might throw a touch of that stuff in with my next batch, if the girl complains that her cheese crackers aren't the right color.  They are delicious, though, and were very easy.

As a bonus, you can shape them however you want.  I made most of these quite small - and you really have to watch the bake time because of it.  I also used whole wheat flour and threw in some flax meal.  Because I'm crazy like that.

Go ahead, give them a try!  (I used a food processor, but you could do it by hand)


Cheddar Cheese Crackers

1 c whole wheat flour
1/3 c all purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/3 c Vermont Cheese Powder
1/4 c ground flax seed (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vinegar
3-4 Tbsp water (you may need more)

Combine dry ingredients in food processor.  Add butter in small pats and pulse gently to combine.  Drizzle in vinegar and then water, adding enough to make a solid, but not sticky, dough.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 375.

Roll dough out on well floured parchment paper, or on a silicone baking mat, flouring more as needed.  Roll as thin as possible without getting holes.  Cut into desired shapes (if you have larger shapes, you will need to prick a couple times with a fork to prevent air bubbles). 

Transfer to lightly greased or parchment (or silicone mat) lined baking sheets.  Bake for 8-18 minutes, depending on size, or just until lightly browned. Transfer to cooling racks.  They will get more crisp as they cool.