Cheese with a Crunch: Healthy Homemade Cheez-Its
Raise your hand if you enjoy Cheez-Its—the little, addictive orange crackers made of cheese. Try and have just one…go ahead, we dare you.
If you tried and failed (we know, we have too) then you know how delicious they are. Unfortunately, those delectable bites aren’t the healthiest option. Filled with processed cheese, gluten, preservatives, and other miscellaneous non-pronounceable ingredients these aren’t the snack crackers you want the kids (or yourself for that matter) to reach for. Instead, try your hand at this healthier homemade version. They’re ridiculously yummy and easy to make.
The following recipe is from The Heal Your Gut Cookbook by Hilary Boynton and Mary G. Brackett. It has been adapted for the web.
RECIPE: Homemade Cheez-Its
Serves 6 to 8
This summer I saw my kids’ eyes just watching their friends walking around with boxes of Cheez-Its. I decided to try creating a knockoff, and these became a perfect substitute!
Ingredients:
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1/4 tsp. dried turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup grass-fed butter, softened
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix all the dry ingredients in a food processor and slowly add the cheese, eggs, and butter. When you can form the dough into a ball, roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper and press the dough evenly across the pan. Bake the crackers for 10 minutes. At this point you can gently cut them into little squares the size of Cheez-Its. Place the crackers back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Remove the crackers, and break them up into squares. Once they’re all broken up, put them back into a turned-off oven or the dehydrator to crisp up. Watch carefully in the oven, as they will burn quickly. Once they’re cool, these crackers can be stored in an airtight container—although these don’t last long in my house.