Easy Gluten-Free Cheez Its (So Good!)
These crispy homemade gluten-free Cheez Its are so easy to make, and make a delicious savory snack. Go bake a batch of this copycat version of the tasty cheese crackers today and enjoy!
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Homemade Cheez Its – Our Favorite Cheese Crackers
If you love the flavor of cheddar cheese and the snappy bite of a crispy cracker, then you’ll definitely love these homemade copycat Cheez Its!
The store-bought version of Cheez Its are typically made with wheat flour (and hence not gluten-free or Celiac safe), so today I’m sharing a gluten-free version that’s incredibly easy to make!
They’re great for snacking on anytime of the day, or as part of a charcuterie board with your favorite dips. Anyway you eat them, I know you’re sure to enjoy these crackers!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe:
- Simple Ingredients: The ingredients required for making this savory Cheez Its recipe are easily accessible at the local grocery store (nothing fancy required!).
- Easy to Make: Preparing these gluten-free cheese crackers is a breeze, plus a whole batch comes together in under an hour!
- Totally Gluten-Free: The best part is that these deliciously crispy crackers are 100% gluten-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten intolerances can enjoy them without issues!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for this gluten-free Cheez Its recipe.
(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
Recipe Notes + Substitutions:
- Gluten-Free Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch). I do NOT recommend using gluten-free flour blend with heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour).
- Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it, make sure to add it in!
- Cheddar Cheese: You can use either medium cheddar or sharp cheddar, depending on how intense you like the flavor to be. If you are lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use dairy-free cheddar cheese instead.
- Butter: Make sure to keep your butter cold so that it doesn’t melt as your knead the dough. Having solid pieces of butter in the dough ensures that you get a flaky texture. If you are lactose intolerant, go ahead and use dairy-free butter instead.
- Water:Â Make sure to use ice water as it helps to maintain the butter in a solid state longer.
- Storing: To store, place the fully cooled gluten-free copycat Cheez Its in an airtight container and store for up to 1 week.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cheez Its (Step by Step):
Whisk Dry Ingredients:Â In a large bowl add the gluten-free 1:1 flour, xanthan gum, salt and whisk to combine ingredients.
Add Cheddar and Cold Butter:Â Add the finely grated cheddar cheese to the bowl with the flour mixture, and mix using your hands. Add the cold butter chunks and use your fingers break down the butter while mixing the ingredients together until you get a crumbly mixture similar in texture to breadcrumbs.
Add Water: Add in the cold water, and mix using a wooden spoon or with your hands until homogeneous dough forms. If mixture is too dry and not sticking together, add in ½ teaspoon more cold water at a time until the texture resembles play-doh (neither too sticky nor too dry).
Shape into Ball:Â Shape the dough into a ball.
Cut Dough Ball into Half:Â Cut the dough ball in half.
Roll Dough to Even Thickness: Place each half of the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and flatten into a disc. Lay another sheet of parchment on top of dough and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 1/16 – 1/8-inch thick.
Cut Dough into Squares: Use a cracker cutter, sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the rolled dough into approximately 1-inch squares.
Transfer Dough Squares to Baking Sheet: Place the dough squares on prepared baking sheet with parchment paper spacing each square at least ¼ inch apart.
Poke Hole in Center:Â Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, poke a hole in the middle of each cracker.
Bake Until Ready:Â Bake the cracker dough in the preheated oven at 350F for 12-17 minutes until the crackers are slightly golden on the bottom. (Note that the baking time will depend on how hot your oven is, and how thick you rolled out the dough). Start with 12 minutes and check if they are browning on bottom, if not bake for an additional 1-2 minutes and check again. Repeat if needed. The longer you bake them the crisper they will be. Roll out, cut and bake the remaining dough.
Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:
- Cut into Shape of Choice: I made square crackers so they look like the original Cheez It crackers, but feel free to cut the crackers into the shape of your choice.
- Use the Cheese You Prefer: For these homemade cheese crackers, I used cheddar cheese (either medium cheddar or old cheddar cheese will work), but feel free to use other types of shredded cheeses (such as mozzarella cheese, gouda, etc).
- Optional Seasonings: For extra flavor, you may also add in onion powder or garlic powder.
Other Gluten-Free Crackers You’ll Enjoy:
- Gluten-Free Ritz Crackers
- Gluten-Free Goldfish Crackers
- Savory Almond Flour Crackers (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Easy Homemade Crackers (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Gluten-Free Snacks to Eat:
P.S. If you try this recipe, I’d love for you to leave a star rating below, and/or a review in the comment section further down the page. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to check out my entire Recipe Index for all the recipes on the blog. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram! Sign up for my Email List to get fresh recipes in your inbox each week!
Gluten-Free Cheez Its
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 150 crackers 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
These crispy homemade gluten-free Cheez Its are so easy to make, and make a delicious savory snack! Go bake a batch of these cheese crackers today and enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your gluten-free flour blend already contains it)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 3/4 cups (225g) finely grated cheddar cheese (medium or sharp cheddar will work)
- 3 tablespoons (45g) cold butter, cut in chunks
- 30 ml cold water
Instructions
- Preheat and Line: Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl add gluten free flour, xanthan gum, salt and whisk to combine ingredients.
- Add Cheddar and Cold Butter: Add the finely grated cheddar cheese to the bowl with the flour mixture, and mix using your hands. Add the cold butter chunks and use your fingers break down the butter while mixing the ingredients together until you get a crumbly mixture similar in texture to breadcrumbs.
- Add Water: Add in the cold water, and mix using a wooden spoon or with your hands until homogeneous dough forms. If mixture is too dry and not sticking together, add in ½ teaspoon more cold water at a time until the texture resembles play-doh (neither too sticky nor too dry).
- Shape into Ball: Shape the dough into a ball.
- Cut Dough Ball into Half: Cut the dough ball in half.
- Roll Dough to Even Thickness: Place each half of the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and flatten into a disc. Lay another sheet of parchment on top of dough and roll dough out to about 1/16 – 1/8-inch thick.
- Cut Dough into Squares: Use a cracker cutter or pizza cutter to cut the rolled dough into approximately 1-inch squares.
- Transfer Dough Squares to Baking Sheet: Place the dough squares on prepared baking sheet with parchment paper spacing each square at least ¼ inch apart.
- Poke Hole in Center: Using a wooden skewer or toothpick, poke a hole in the center of each dough square.
- Bake Until Ready: Bake the cracker dough in the preheated oven for 12-17 minutes until the crackers are slightly golden on the bottom (Note that the baking time will depend on how hot your oven is, and how thick you rolled out the dough). Start with 12 minutes and check if they are browning on bottom, bake for an additional 1-2 minutes and check. Repeat if needed. The longer you bake them the crisper they will be. Roll out, cut and bake the remaining dough.
- Cool Completely Before Serving: Make sure to allow the crackers to cool completely before serving, Enjoy!
Notes
Gluten-Free Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free 1:1 flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch). I do NOT recommend using gluten-free flour blend with heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour).
Xanthan Gum: Xanthan gum is the replacement for gluten in gluten-free flours and helps to better bind the ingredients together. If your gluten-free flour blend does not already include it, make sure to add it in!
Cheddar Cheese: You can use either medium cheddar or sharp cheddar, depending on how intense you like the flavor to be. If you are lactose-intolerant, go ahead and use dairy-free cheddar cheese instead.
Butter: Make sure to keep your butter cold so that it doesn’t melt as your knead the dough. Having solid pieces of butter in the dough ensures that you get a flaky texture. If you are lactose intolerant, go ahead and use dairy-free butter instead.
Water: Make sure to use cold water as it helps to maintain the butter in a solid state longer.
Storing: To store, place the fully cooled gluten-free Cheez It crackers in an airtight container and store for up to 1 week.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 17 mins
- Category: Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
