Ingredients
Scale
- 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (about 2 cups)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2-3 tablespoons ice cold water
- Optional: pinch of paprika or cayenne pepper for color and subtle heat
Instructions
- Prepare Your Workspace – Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Have your fish-shaped cookie cutter ready and lightly dust your work surface with flour.
- Grate the Cheese – Using a box grater or food processor with a grating attachment, grate 8 oz of sharp cheddar cheese. Let it come to room temperature slightly while you prepare other ingredients—this helps it incorporate better into the dough.
- Mix Dry Ingredients – In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and garlic powder. Pulse 2-3 times to mix everything evenly.
- Cut in the Butter – Add the cold butter cubes to the flour mixture. Pulse 10-15 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. These butter pieces create the flaky texture we want.
- Add the Cheese – Add the grated cheddar cheese to the food processor. Pulse another 10-15 times until the cheese is evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture. The mixture should look crumbly but be starting to clump together slightly.
- Form the Dough – With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice water through the feed tube. Process until the dough just starts to come together in a ball, adding the additional tablespoon of water only if needed. The dough should hold together when pinched but shouldn’t be wet or sticky.
- Chill the Dough – Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape it into a flat disk about 1 inch thick, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. This rest period makes the dough easier to roll and helps develop the texture.
- Roll Out the Dough – Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to about ⅛-inch thickness (very thin—this is important for crispy crackers). Keep the work surface and rolling pin floured to prevent sticking.
- Cut Out Shapes – Using your fish-shaped cookie cutter, cut out as many crackers as possible, placing them on your prepared baking sheets about ½ inch apart. Gather scraps, re-roll once, and cut more shapes. Avoid re-rolling more than twice as the dough becomes tough.
- Dock the Crackers – Using a toothpick or small fork, poke a tiny hole in the center of each cracker. This prevents them from puffing up too much during baking and helps them stay flat and crispy.
- Bake First Batch – Bake for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the crackers are golden brown around the edges and firm to the touch. Keep a close eye on them during the last few minutes as they can go from perfect to burnt quickly.
- Cool Completely – Transfer the crackers to a wire cooling rack immediately. They will crisp up further as they cool. Let them cool completely before storing—this usually takes about 15 minutes.
- Bake Remaining Batches – While the first batch cools, prepare and bake any remaining crackers using the same method
Notes
- The dough must be rolled very thin (⅛ inch or less) for properly crispy crackers
- Cold ingredients are essential for the right texture—don’t skip the chilling steps
- Crackers will firm up significantly as they cool, so don’t overbake
- If you don’t have a fish-shaped cutter, cut into small squares or use any small cookie cutter
- For extra flavor, sprinkle crackers with a tiny bit of flaky sea salt before baking
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup (approximately 30-35 crackers)
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 245mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 11g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 35mg