These Easy Sourdough Cheese It Crackers are the perfect blend of a good salty crunch and crispy cheesy flavor. Made with the goodness of sourdough starter and offering you a fully fermented recipe that gives all the benefits sourdough has to offer. They’re a healthy twist to a classic snack that the whole family is going to love!
For as long as I have know him, my husbands favorite snack indulgence is a cheese-it cracker. Any road trip or plane flight we travel on, needs to involve cheese-its for a salty snack.
So when I decided to tackle a copy cat cheese it and make it not only taste like a cheese it, but also ferment it for all its benefits, he was intrigued. Do these pass the husband cheese-it test?
I can proudly say, YES THEY DO! After some trial and error I have perfected a cheese it cracker that is husband approved 🙂
Walking the isles of Walmart you will find a regular 12oz box of Cheese It Crackers for $3.78.
Now that may not sound like a bunch of money to you. But my family of 6 could easily eat this entire box of crackers in a matter of minutes.
So while that price doesn’t seem high to some, it does to me. When I can make my own box of crackers for just over $1, and only requiring a little of my time to make? I’m in!
Not to mention these crackers are made with real ingredients from my own pantry, without the use of unnecessary fake vegetable oil, fortified vitamins and TBHQ (whatever that is).
These Sourdough Cheese it crackers are going to be your new favorite salty snack. A snack that you can eat several handfuls of and not feel guilty about!
Give this easy recipe a try and watch these cheesy, crunchy delights disappear in no time!
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Still need a sourdough starter?
Before we get started you will need a sourdough starter. If you do not have one yet, here is a Day by Day Guide to help you make your own Sourdough Starter. Or if you have any questions about your sourdough starter I have a great guide that helps answer any questions that may leave you confused called “I have a Sourdough Starter, Now What?” If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of sourdough, check out my “Why Sourdough?“
Ingredients to make Easy Sourdough Cheese It Crackers
- Sourdough Starter
- All Purpose Flour
- Butter
- Filtered Water
- Cheddar Cheese
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
- Dry Mustard
- Unrefined Salt
Helpful Kitchen Tools to make Easy Sourdough Cheese It Crackers
- Rolling Pin: This is necessary and helpful for rolling out the dough as thin as you can get it.
- Dueling Pastry Wheel: When cutting through the rolled out dough it’s best to use either a pizza cutter or this dueling pastry wheel. I like to use this wheel because it has two options. A straight edge and a wavy edge. I enjoy making a fun wavy edge when making these Cheese It Crackers.
- Food Processor: This appliance is extremely helpful for mixing together the dough. It can be mixed by hand, but the food processor can do it in no time so I highly recommend using a food processor when mixing the dough.
- Pizza Stone: This is helpful for baking the crackers on. It helps cook the bottom of the cracker and cooks them all evenly. If you don’t have a stone, you may also use a cookie sheet.
- Parchment Paper: Rolling and baking the crackers on parchment makes it easy and mess free. It helps because it’s non stick and easy to transfer in and out of the oven.
- Pizza Paddle: This is helpful but not necessary for transferring crackers from your counter to the oven. I use this paddle for pizza’s as well and absolutely love it for transferring large thinned out dough into the oven.
- Wooden Skewers or Toothpick: This is helpful when poking the center holes into each cracker. Skewers are not necessary and you can use any sharp point, even a fork.
How to make Easy Sourdough Cheese It Crackers
- Sourdough Sponge Ferment: This fermented sponge what makes these crackers actually sourdough. The first step is fermenting the grains. Add starter, flour, melted butter and water to a bowl and mix until combined. Cover bowl or dough in plastic wrap and leave on counter for as little as 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
- After ferment, add the entire ball of dough into a food processor. Add in shredded cheddar cheese, spices and salt. Pulse until dough comes together and forms a dense ball.
- Divide ball of dough in half and add one ball to a sheet of parchment paper.
- Add a pizza stone to the rack in the center of your oven. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and let the stone heat with the oven.
- Roll your dough out onto parchment paper and roll as thin and as evenly as you can get.
- Using a pizza or dueling pastry cutter, evenly cut out crackers into their iconic 1 inch square shape.
- Using a skewer, toothpick or fork, press a center hole into each cracker. Then sprinkle coarse sea salt overtop of the crackers.
- Transfer crackers to your preheated pizza stone (I like to use my pizza paddle for transfer, but again, not necessary) and bake for 18-20 minutes until the crackers turn brown around the outside.
- Cool completely on the counter. As they cool they become crunchy.
- Repeat this same process to your other dough ball.
- Enjoy!
What Cheese is best to use?
If you’re goal is to make them taste like a cheese it cracker, then I recommend using a cheddar or sharp cheddar cheese.
But you can use other hard cheeses like gouda, gruyere, parmesan or another favorite to change up the flavor a bit.
Do not use store bought pre-shredded cheese though! This is because pre-shredded cheese is not just cheese. It is made up of anti-caking agents that will prevent the cheese from melting properly.
This effects the outcome of your crackers and will disappoint you with your finished product.
So pull out that trusty cheese grater of yours and get to shreddin 😉
How many sourdough cheese it crackers does this recipe yield?
This recipe makes around 12 ounces of crackers. Which is equivalent to one small box of cheese it crackers.
The Original Cheese it box retails just under $4 per box.
These sourdough cheese it crackers can be made for a little over $1 for 12 oz.
Worth it!
Let’s make Easy Sourdough Cheese It Crackers
Easy Sourdough Cheese It Crackers
These Easy Sourdough Cheese It Crackers are the perfect blend of a good salty crunch and crispy cheesy flavor. Made with the goodness of sourdough starter offering you a fully fermented recipe that gives all the benefits sourdough has to offer.
Ingredients
Sourdough Sponge
- 50g Sourdough Starter
- 150g All Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Melted Butter
- 50g Filtered Water
Add After Ferment
- 2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese (from a block, not pre-shredded. *see notes)
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
- 1 tsp Unrefined Salt (plus more for sprinkling over crackers)
Instructions
- Sourdough Sponge Ferment: Add starter, flour, melted butter and water to a bowl and mix by hand until combined. Cover bowl or dough in plastic wrap and leave on counter for as little as 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
- After ferment, add the entire ball of dough into a food processor. Add in shredded cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, dry mustard and salt. Pulsing until dough comes together and forms a dense ball.
- Divide ball of dough in half and add one ball to a sheet of parchment paper.
- Add a pizza stone to the rack in the center of your oven. And preheat oven to 350 degrees F letting the stone heat up with the oven.
- Roll dough out onto parchment paper and roll as thin and as evenly as you can get.
- Using a dueling pastry or pizza cutter, evenly cut out crackers into 1 inch squares.
- Using a skewer, toothpick or fork, press a center hole into each cracker. Then sprinkle coarse sea salt overtop of the crackers.
- Transfer crackers to your preheated pizza stone and bake for 18-20 minutes until the crackers turn brown around the outside.
- Cool completely on the counter. As they cool they become crunchy.
- Repeat this process again with your other dough ball. Enjoy!
Notes
Do not use pre shredded cheese. It has added anti caking agents that will keep the cheese from properly melting while these crackers are baked.
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Hi Hilary!
This recipe looks so yummy! I have a weakness for cheezit crackers!
I’d love to collaborate sometime! We both make kid-friendly sourdough recipes.
Have a great day!
I am going to make these tonight but I don’t understand how you did it for $1 for approximately 12 ounces of finished product. My cheese alone costs more than the cheese it crackers bought at the store. Please help.