Lately I’ve been on a cracker kick. Usually it’s the princesses, but since I rid my pantry of most crackers they haven’t been asking to eat them. I think my cracker cravings have stemmed from the fact that I’ve been experimenting how to make my own and I’m beginning to discover that it’s not that difficult. The thought of making homemade crackers seemed all too tedious and time consuming. Last week I decided to take the plunge and ended up with something that didn’t taste half bad, but didn’t give me the crunch that I like in a cracker.
Now I was on a mission! I switched up the flours and omitted the baking powder in hopes of not getting the “rise” like I did in the first batch. The result was spot on in my book and from the looks of the jar, the rest of the fam is liking them too!
Ta da! I bring you new meaning to the word “CHEEZ-IT”…a hearty, rich and crunchy cracker without all the added who-knows-what and other stuff! (sorry if you like the kind that come in a box…believe me, I was once there!). These, my friends, are the real deal…nothing more, nothing less!
Cheez Crackers (gluten free)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup millet flour (you can grind your own by putting whole millet in your food processor)
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 tsp xanthum gum
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup organic cheddar cheese
4 Tbsp Earth Balance, cold and diced
3 Tbsp cold water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Place the millet flour, almond flour, tapioca flour, xanthum gum, and salt in the bowl of a food processor (a blender works too). Pulse a few times to combine.
Add the cheese to the flour mixture and pulse until it resembles a coarse meal. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut in using a pastry cutter.
Add the water, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough begins to come together in a ball. Divide the dough in two and shape into discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Place a piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll out to 1/8 inch thick. Trim off the jagged edges of the dough and use a serrated knife to make vertical slices 1-inch apart. Then, make horizontal slices 1-inch apart to create squares. (Optional: use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges of the crackers and a toothpick to create a hole in the center). Transfer the cut crackers to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least a 1/2-inch apart.
Gather the remaining scraps of dough, re-roll, and cut additional crackers. If the dough has gotten very warm, re-wrap the scraps and place in the refrigerator for a few minutes to chill. Continue rolling and cutting until all the dough has been used.
Bake the crackers for 10-15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Allow to cool before eating.
These crackers are best on the first day, however they can be stored in an airtight container (glass is best to help keep their crunch) for several days.
*Note: I’m going to be working on my “recipe page” to help make it clearer as to what recipes are gluten free, vegan, and/or vegetarian. I hope this will help!
Blessings,
J’lene
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