Cheese-Its from Scratch

So this is a little after the fact, but hey at least I'm posting it now.

Better late than never I suppose.

I had the urge to make something delicious and comforting and kinda fun on Friday.

I also had an entire block of cheddar cheese in my fridge...

To add to the mix I was missing two very important people in my life.

First off, I have not seen my absolute best friend since I visited her at Butler back in SEPTEMBER! That is just too long my friends.

Since Maggie is from Wisconsin and happens to love cheese, I thought I'd find something to make involving the entire block of cheese in my fridge. So there we go, missing Maggie leads to cheesey goodness.

With this cheese laden inspiration I decided to make a homemade version of Cheez-its crackers. Maggie and I also happen to have a history of making crackers together, so this decision was doubly appropriate.

Mags and I making crackers actually leads me to the second person I was missing on Friday, my dad. One summer afternoon when he came home from work he found us sprawled out over the kitchen table and covered in flour, rolling out cracker dough with a pasta roller.

He exclaimed "Why on earth would you make crackers?!" Only to be quickly shut down by mom saying "Tim, they could be doing drugs or getting into all sorts of trouble. You should be happy they're here making crackers!"

This story still makes me laugh, and I definitely was when I was making these crackers.
Since dad's birthday was on Friday and he is included in my cracker making history, I thought these little morsels were a perfect homage to him as well.

So onward with cracker making!

A slightly ridiculous amount of cheese is blended with butter, salt, pepper, and then mixed with flour.

Cheese is definitely the prominent ingredient in the crumbly mixture, which is then mixed with just a few spoonfuls of water to make a smooth dough.

The dough is kneaded into a silky cheese-flecked ball...

And then a complementary spice mixture is kneaded in until the dough is streaked with pretty swirls.

Chili powder and garlic make great friends with cheddar cheese.

See the swirly spices?

That's happiness right there, just waiting to hit your tongue.

The dough is rolled out and cut into little circles. A few indents are pressed into the disks making them look like little cheesey buttons.

The crackers are then transferred to cookie sheets and baked until puffed and golden and fragrant.

Now that's a winning combination.

These little guys puff up really tall, almost like baby cheddar biscuits, and their interior does have a semi biscuit-esque texture. But these are so much more. 

Flaky beyond belief, and bursting at the seems with real cheese flavor these cheese-its are beyond yummy. I dare you to eat just one! 

Go ahead, bake and enjoy for someone you miss or haven't seen in a while, or even yourself. They are definitely worth the effort.

Have a great week!

~Maddy

Cheese-Its from Scratch

recipe adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cold water

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

In a bowl whisk together butter, cheese, salt and pepper.  It seems strange to blend butter and cheese, but it will come together in a soft ball.  Slowly mix in flour.  Mixture will become dry and crumbly.  Add two tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time.  Stir until mixture just comes together into a ball.  The mixture may take an extra teaspoon of water, but don’t add too much.  The dough should be moist but not wet.

Knead the dough briefly until smooth and add chili seasoning.  Knead the spices into the dough.  Leaving streaks of the seasoning is just fine.  Wrap the cracker dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (an hour is better).  The dough can also be frozen for future use.

While dough chills, place a rack in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough very thin, about an eighth of an inch thick. This is easier if done in two batches, so divide the dough in half.  Dot center of cracker with a fork or the end of a paint brush.  Place crackers on prepared baking sheets.  The pieces can be close together as they won’t expand much when baking.  Bake for 13 to 15 minutes until fragrant, golden brown, and crisp.  Allow to cool before serving.

The crackers can be stored in an airtight container for two or three days, but I bet they won't last that long ;)