Homemade Cheez-Its

I'll be the first to admit that I have a problem. A big, delicious, cheesy problem. I adore Cheez-Its. But the other day I looked on the side of the box, and was horrified by the nutrition facts and ingredients. Chemicals I can't pronounce? Serving size of only 27 crackers? No. Thank. You.

Well here's an insanely simple way to make one of the greatest snacks known to man (yeah, I went there. What'cha gonna do?) in your own kitchen. Read on, fellow cheese-lover.

Step 1: Cheese Please!

Don't you love simple recipes? Me too. All you need to make your own Cheez-Its is:

• 1 cup flour
• 4 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into small pieces (not melted)
• 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (orange if you can)
• 3/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• cold water

Materials:

• oven
• food processor
• parchment paper
• cookie sheet
• rolling pin

If you want to get creative here, go for it! The cayenne adds a bit of a kick, which is great. Maybe give parmesan garlic a whirl, or try your hand at their Tabasco hot & spicy variety.  

Note: in these pictures I'm making a double batch. Don't worry when it looks like you have less crackers than me - you do.

Comments

[cyprian916]

Great Instructable saw this and wanted to try it because Cheez-its are great. So I did but, I didn't have cheddar so I used mozzarella cheese. Also I added the hole that they have. As well as that, about 5 minutes before cooking was complete I sprinkled salt on them.

[cyprian916]

btw They were amazing!

[timhood]

I made two batches today, and I think the second batch came out just right, though nobody complained about the first batch. :) for the second batch, I perfected the bake by using the convection oven at 300 degrees for 22 minutes. I think a lower temperature is needed to keep the outside from getting too dark before the inside is done.

I also used my Mercato Atlas 150 pasta maker to roll out the dough. The #1 setting makes crackers a little thicker than the originals. Next time, I am going to try the #2 setting to try to replicate the thickness of the originals.

[timhood]

I'm going to try these, but I don't understand why I'd want to have the oven running while the dough is in the freezer for 30 minutes.

[dhendricks1]

I've made these quite a bit and they're great. Like ernestog et. al. I tried the pasta machine to get really thin crackers but I found it too time consuming. If you've got a tortilla press, use that, take the dough "tortilla" cut it into squares with a pizza cutter, slide a thin metal spatula under them and transfer them to the pan. Separating them so they don't touch and brown evenly is still tedious though.

[ernestog]

Hi Kazmataz, I operate a small Bakery in Asturias Northern Spain. A customer suggested we try a cheese cracker like a sample she brought from England. They were nice Cheddar and Stilton crackers, but with a very subtle flavour . I looked around on the web to see what I could find and came across your recipe. Tried it. Very good. But I wanted to try something with blue cheese. After a few tests, adding and taking away ingredients... We now have a really good Blue Cheese Cracker. Just a Cup of Flour, 8 oz of strong Blue Cheese and a little water. I use a Pasta Roller to make them as thin as possible, aprox 30 mins in the oven at 180 C, and voila! Nice, crunchy, crackers.
Thanks a bunch for the base recipe. If you are ever in Spain, feel free to drop by.

[kazmataz]

Oh my goodness, those sound amazing! Thanks so much for sharing!

[contessa10]

Holy mother of pearl, these things are addictive! I made a double batch for my husband to take on a hunting trip tomorrow. I doubt any of them will leave the house!

[smiller-bach]

THANK YOU! These are so delicious. :)

[kbryant2]

I loved this idea from the moment I heard about it!! I have a daughter in pre school and thought this was a much healthier snack for her to bring!! These were absolutely UH-mazing!! The taste was soooo good. I had to stop myself from munching them all down lol! I did make a couple adjustments I didn't add the cayenne pepper cause I didn't have any but subbed in 1/2 tsp hot sauce. I also added a few shakes of onion and garlic powder which are flavors my fam adore. I even cut out little butterflies and flower shapes just to be cute. I will def be making these again. Next time a double or triple batch ;p Thanks so much for the great recipe!!!

[mking53713]

Sparky you are halarious!! I'm looking up recipes for church functions and here you are with your 'meditations on bacon' so to speak...I b luvin the wit

[spark master]

My dear, at times we all "become one with the bacon" to learn the inner knowlege of the great slab of smokey goodness. Please chant we me SsMMOOOOOOOKE SsMMOOOOOOKE SsMMOOOOOOOKE.

Do you feel the power of the rising. Soon it will be BLT TIME NOT Martini Time. Fresh Termater real bacon crisp lettuce and real mayo with a glass of sweet tea mmmmm.

SsMMOOOOOOOKE SsMMOOOOOOOKE SsMMOOOOOOOKE

We will now pause for the taking of the Statins , and the passing out of the Coumadin.........

ciao

[spark master]

step away from the bacon , stay back I say, the cardiologist is a cummin round the bend.

mmmmm

basically cheese pie crust I like it, never thought about how to make it, vera verra nice

If you fry bacon a pound at a time save all the fat with the pan scrapings pour while hot into tallish wide mouth container free it lop off the bottom (with all the brown bits, with enough fat to make up the amount called for in butter .

Take a Pepsid ac and use a double batch ((so you can use half bacon fat half butter) maybe crumble in 1/8 pound real bacon.

take statin drug as prescribed by doctor

bake as shown

take nitro pill,

enjoy

[godbacon]

you honor the one True god.

[spark master]

(falling into caloric induced coma , speaking in best Deepack Chopra Voice)

When you become one with the bacon and the cheeze and the butter stick aligns as well, you will come to fullest understanding of "life, the universe, and everything". Contrary to the best mindless of our times, it is Not, the number 46, but only the number of the fat grams in this recipe"

And the beauty of this is that one can create larger squares suitable for bacon and scallion enhanced cream cheese (homemade), and dip. This will release the overall deliciounsness fields surrounding the fats and oils of our lives.

But forget not, for a deeper understanding, One must consume, perhaps, statin, heart regulators, and a side of nitro, since seekers of this enlightenment many times fall into the flame of knowlege, like moths. So step carefully on the path to enlightenment.

(end deepack chopra)

[theawesomeninja]

I have seen the light ... I shall now drop everything on the quest for Holy Bacon and the finest Cheddar my money can buy...which isnt much. But the bacon is worth it in the end.

[skaar]

heh, the bacon thing... good joke...

[spark master]

there was a top chef kinda show where they would announce a "secret ingtredient" once it was bacon . A chef made bacon icecream, Made me think, step away from the bacon and no one gets hurt. mmmmm But here, well......what fries in Kitchen stays in the kitchen!

[theawesomeninja]

Because we eat it before it makes it to the table

[spark master]

see , now you understand. My kid is a scout and scouts eat in rank order then last are the cooks, so when I cook at home there are some choice bits (say of roast beast ends or a bit of particularly nicely browned herbed and wined chicken skin ), that never seem to make it to the table.I had to tell him same kinda lesson. Cook may be last to sit , but we must SAMPLE as we go "for Quality Assurance Purposes only" I assure you. What happens at the stove stays with me by the stove !


With left over bacon fat a nd maybe a few bits of actual raw bacon and a 1/4 inch slice of ham, make tomato sauce. Brown onions in the left over fat (use the pan you fried in so you get the brown stuff, the real artery clogging stuff, after that brown the ham (diced first) , then garlic then some raw bacon chopped (lightly cook it), then deglase with red wine to stop the cooking add to a few cans crushed tomato cook about 20-40 minutes. If you have a few fresh tomato's paoch them in the boiling liquid for a minute then remove slip the skins and chop and throw in 15 minutes before the thing ends. Over pasta very nice. You can poach a few eggs on the top if your careful and the sauce will be quite nice (Carbonera?) Serve over a plate of these cheeeze chips (yikes) or pasta like ziti. You can also add peas at the end w/wo the poached eggs then serve over little bowties or lambs ears pasta(can't remember the Eyetalian name).

mangia

[theawesomeninja]

Of course they would be a bit worried if we DIDN'T sample it -- after all, who would eat something the cook wouldn't eat himself?

Sadly for me, (being a rather amateur cook) I live in an azn household and we NEVER have bacon! (Rather shocking I know).

But these "chez-its" could be used as some type of cheezy breading, so maybe you bake a sheet and don't cut it into squares, just crumble it fine and add spices.

[spark master]

AZN?

[theawesomeninja]

^.^

[skaar]

asian.

[spark master]

I am too old for this Asians don't do bacon? I thought they worship the pig like Eyetalians and Deutch/Russo/UkrainoPortugesianHispanic types. MMMMM are you mess'n with me??

I mean its right there in the bible, left out by the early church but right after god made man he actually made bacon and spare ribs THEN he made woman to cook them, oooppps I'ma gunna get a pranging for that one!!!! From My wife and daughters!!!!


ttfn

[skaar]

i think it's the smoked meat thing... they traditionally eat it in different form.

[theawesomeninja]

Think for us it's similar to the hawaiian pig-roasted-on-a-spit sort of but obviously with azn spices and etc. Occationally stew and in more "modern" chinese cafe they use ham and maybe bacon if they serve BLT's

[theawesomeninja]

I do bacon. My parents don't.

[spark master]

No pig at all?

[theawesomeninja]

Pork. but no bacon :(

[spark master]

Oh Great and powerful Awesome Ninja , must bring them to "enlightenment" in the true path of the pig. Such sacred rights as The Brining of the Ham, "The Rolling of the Panncetta", "The Smoking of the Hocks" and Cullminating in the "Smoking of the Bacon". Then you can bring them into the fold at the celebrations of the Sacred Tomato of the Garden Of Christoffo Columbus, brought together with The Great crunch lettuce and Toasting of the Albino Pan de Mie after wards annointing with the Balm of Mayonnaise . The Special Healing Balm invented for Napoleon, after the Battle of Mayonnaise where Napoleon Cooked the English Bacon. Making an empire Based solely on the BLT. (I wuz beez a history Major you can count on that intepritation!!! (but not on my spelling anything right)

Chant with me my brother in saturated fats and salt, BAAAAAA Cun BAAAAAA Cun BAAAAAA Cun BAAAAAA Cun

Later on after bring them to religious extacy with the sacred ceremony of the blt you can show them the minor miracle of Carbonara sauce made with bacon AND sacred Panncetta.


BAAAAAA Cun BAAAAAA Cun BAAAAAA Cun BAAAAAA Cun

[theawesomeninja]

Never mind those doomsayer health experts! After all, things must taste good for a reason, does it not? I say if it tastes great, it must be good for you! Spark Master I have truely seen the light of the True Food, the Holy Unity of Bread, Edible fruit of the deadly Nightshade Family, Curds of the Liquid of the Most Holy Hindu creature, the Lettuce of the Arctic and most High, Bacon. Let us all enjoy the Best, of Cheese, Meat and Potatoes, the Trinity of all Foods! Let us begin a movement. Away from bok choy! Away from flax seed meal, Away from blueberries and other "healthy" foods that distract us from the True foods! Let's lead our "health"-crazed bretherin in a pursuit that fills the stomach, not the meagre "daily caloric intake"!! Let us go out! Go!

by the way, I'm allergic to mayo. It has eggs, and I'm allergic to eggs

[spark master]

Not since the days before vegtable oils have such people been seen here in America, Nay Nay in the WORLD!

It was written " though yeah may forsake me I am Lord thy Bacon and in the future a long time to come, there will rise among you followers of the true path to enlightenment, they shall have no name, , but only practice in secret, to avoid the unclean the .....VEGANS...the cardiologists ...the insurance underwriters.

Sadly these will never be able to join the few ,the proud, the bacon fryers, writhing in ecstasy with ever sizzle and pop in the pan as we smell the slicing tomato, and our senses tingle at the gently crunch of the sacred vegetable, .Lettuce of the Arctic!!! But there will eventually come a day when even they will break down to writhe with us in the simplicity of cured smoked pig parts.

And beware those with no taste buds who frequent the whore of foodom. Those who use lasers to slice bacon into 1 atom thick wrinkled bits of nothing, that while adding fat grams bring no taste to the bun. BUT even worse are the most heinous those who make ...Turkey Bacon, Sizzlean, Tufu Bacon. The worst of the abomanatiopns. And their punishment shall be to lick the cold unclean griddle. To get the smell , but not taste the substance of the bacon and while being so close shall never be allowed to join the few the chosen true fryer of bacon.


Chant with me now


BEEEEEEE ELLLLLLLLL TEEEEEEEE
BEEEEEEE ELLLLLLLLL TEEEEEEEE

BEEEEEEE ELLLLLLLLL TEEEEEEEE
BEEEEEEE ELLLLLLLLL TEEEEEEEE

BEEEEEEE ELLLLLLLLL TEEEEEEEE
BEEEEEEE ELLLLLLLLL TEEEEEEEE


no go in peace in peace I say thee, as we exit let us sing to our sacred song

Fry for me Argentina

[theawesomeninja]

Those who call doom to Bacon, Not just a Food but a Way of Life. They deserve not to lick the remains of what held the Most Holy Bacon! They are not worthy to drink the Sacred Grease of the Best of the Pork! I say, "Let them eat cake! " for they are not worthy to be in the presence of the Meat of the Meat!

Those who chose not to worship the cured Hocks who deem themselves clean! It is though their neglect to nourish themselves with the Hocks! They themselves are not clean, but their thin bodies are testament to their suffering! They do not know that Pureness is only a bite of bacon away! May they see the light and join us in our Movement to send Good Food to every household in the World! Let us go to the UN and tell them to send Bacon, and BLT's to every household, let no one be left out save the ones who "save" themselves from the True Goodness of Pork.

BAAAAA COOOOOON!!!
BEEE ELLL TEEE!!!!!!
BAAAAA COOOOOON!!!
BEEE ELLL TEEE!!!!!!
BAAAAA COOOOOON!!!
BEEE ELLL TEEE!!!!!!

Let that be our anthem, as we strive to shake our world from this madness! For taste! and Good Food! Let us not worry about the mass of our bodies for the mass of our hearts as we strive for life, liberty, and happiness in the pursuit of food! Off! Be we too late, our efforts would be in vain! Forward!!!


btw is anybody but us reading this? LOL

[spark master]

I must tell you of a great CONVERSION I stumbled upon. While at RPI I fiund a publication, MADE IN NY it is about NY state products and low and behold the greatness, A pair of Vetable-tarians repented by gettting only organic meats and WHY

the Cravings for the sacred thing drove them back, Now my friend no amount of TOFURKEY or SIZZLELEAN could entice a person to convert to Vegtable -Tarian heresies, but the smell of a real bacon burger apparently did just that. Fleisher's Meats in Brooklyn is one store OY VEY.

so my friends there is always hope

I must go now and prepare some Tzazikki Sauce for the Lamb sausages tonight hhmmm

And no its just you and me festering here.

[theawesomeninja]

Haha! Our cause is Just! Truly we shall prevail!!! Never substitute fibre and vitamins for the true power of Protien and fats! The only fibre and vitamins we eat is converted to bacon or iceberg lettuce or tomato! (or bread...)

[spark master]

Ah fellow traveler remember the words of the great profet "ALF" of the Planet Melmac who once said, , "Vegetables are what FOOD eats"


mmmmmmmmmm BAAAAAAA-CUUUUUN BAAAAAAA-CUUUUUN BAAAAAAA-CUUUUUN

[theawesomeninja]

no, vegetables is FOOD for the FOOD that WE eat! (with the partial exception of lettuce, but ONLY for BLT's!)

We only elsewise eat vegetables ONLY in the form of the flesh of the Sus scrofa domesticus!

[ClayOgre]

Okay, made them based on the picture (which looked yummy). Not sure if I like them or not, but then I am not a big fan of regular Cheese-its. They baked up quite nicely and the other member of my family seem to like them, so I may end up making them again.

Had a bit of trouble rolling them out and trying to get a uniform thickness. I think a pasta machine would really make the job easier.

[tinker234]

my grand pa loves these things i have to make some