About a week or so ago, I lamented my ability to make our family's own crackers to my satisfaction. There are four types of crackers (to start with) I wish to have a comparable recipe for: Wheat Thins, Saltines, Ritz Butter Crackers and Cheez-Its.
I've got one for Cheez-Its.
It doesn't look like a Cheez-It, but it tastes like one and I'm very satisfied. If you have a Maia purist in your house, you might want to shape these in a square log to get the conventional square Cheez-It. Also, a finer grated cheese will yield a more uniform colored cracker but I think they look pretty speckled with the cheddar cheese. Omit the additional sea salt if you prefer a less salty cracker but I think you'll be missing out!
Cheese Crackers
by Michelle
1/2 cup softened butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups flour
2.25 cups sharp cheddar, grated
4-6 tablespoons of water
Additional sea salt if desired
1. In bowl combine the butter, salt, flour and cheddar. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms a ball. Mix another minute until the dough is smooth.
2. Roll the dough into a log with a diameter of about 1 inch or so. You may make it a little smaller or larger depending on your cracker size preference. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 30-40 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400. Remove the dough from the freezer. Using a very sharp knife or a dough scraper, slice off thin rounds of the dough. They should be no more than 1/8 of an inch thick. Lay them out on a ungreased or parchement lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with additional sea salt if desired.
4. Bake 15-20 minutes, checking frequently. The edges should be lightly browned and the cracker should be crisp even though it is still hot. Slide the parchment paper or the crackers onto a wire rack to cool completely before eating or storing.
makes about 100 crackers or 3/4 a pound of crackers
