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I firmly believe you shouldn’t miss out on your favorite snacks because of dietary restrictions. I’ve been on a mission to recreate some of my favorite snacks at home, and I’m so proud of this gluten-free Cheez Its copycat recipe. They’re cheesy, buttery, and just as flakey and crispy as the original (if not better!). They’re also nut-free, soy-free, and without any artificial flavors or preservatives. My family loves them, and I think you’ll love them, too!
Gluten-Free Cheez Its Recipe
Sharp cheddar, butter, salt, and a little garlic powder mixed into a gluten-free flour dough set the foundation for these delicious, homemade gluten-free Cheez Its. I worked on this recipe for a while, testing different variations until I got the ingredient ratios just right. The result is a perfectly crispy cracker with an intense cheesy flavor that’ll make you forget all about the store-bought version!
Ingredients
- Cheese: Use a sharp cheddar cheese for the best flavor. I recommend buying a block of cheese and grating your own, rather than buying pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as well and can sometimes contain additives that may not be gluten-free.
- Gluten-Free Flour: My preferred brand of gluten-free flour for this recipe is Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You might experience different results with other brands.
- Butter: Adds flavor and helps to create the best flakey texture. Use unsalted butter to control the salt content.
- Xanthan Gum: Only use this if your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t already contain it. Xanthan gum helps bind the dough and gives the crackers structure.
- Salt: A pinch of salt adds just the right amount of saltiness to these cheesy crackers.
- Garlic Powder: Adds a subtle hint of garlic to enhance the flavor of the cheese.
- Water: Use ice-cold water to help bring the dough together.
Tips and Suggestions
- Be sure to use certified gluten-free all-purpose flour. I use Cup4Cup Multipurpose flour for this recipe. Other brands may yield different results.
- Measure your flour out in grams. Too much flour will cause the dough to be too dry and crumble when you roll it out. Too little flour will leave the dough too sticky to work with, and the crackers will be extra greasy. If you don’t have a food scale, use the “spoon and level method.” Gently scoop spoonfuls of flour and sprinkle it into a measuring cup. Level off the top with a knife. If you use the measuring cup to scoop flour directly from the bag, you’ll end up with 25% more flour than needed because the flour packs down into the cup.
- Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. As I mentioned above, it doesn’t melt well because of the powdery coating added to stop the shreds from sticking together in the bag. There’s also a chance the anti-caking agent in the pre-shredded cheese could contain gluten. Grate your own cheese for the best results.
- I use sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe, but you can use mild cheddar for a less intense cheese flavor.
- Roll the dough out evenly so each cracker bakes at the same rate.
- It’s important that both the butter and water are really cold when mixing the ingredients together. You don’t want the butter to be melted or softened when cutting it into the flour.
- The thinner you roll out the dough, the crispier the cracker will be. If you like the crackers a little chewy, don’t roll the dough thinner than ¼-inch.
- Keep in mind the crackers will continue baking on the hot tray once they’re taken from the oven, so it’s important to remove them when they still look a bit undercooked. Overbaking the crackers, even for a few extra seconds, will cause them to burn.
- Bake one tray of crackers at a time so each tray gets even heat distribution.
Are Cheez Its Gluten Free?
No, traditional Cheez Its are not gluten-free as they’re made with wheat flour. You’d have to find an alternative version or (better yet) make this gluten-free Cheez Its recipe! Making your own is much easier than running to the store, and they taste way better. Also, take a look at another fantastic gluten-free version of a popular snack on our site – the Gluten-Free Rice Krispies Treats recipe.
Do I Need to Use a Blender?
Mixing by hand won’t yield the same results as using a blender or food processor. The blender breaks down the grated cheese and evenly distributes it throughout the crackers. It also keeps the ingredients cold and helps create a smooth dough. If you don’t have a blender or food processor, you could try using a hand-held pastry blender to combine the ingredients. The cheese won’t be as evenly distributed, and it’ll take longer, but it could still work if the butter stays cold.
Storage Instructions
Let your crackers cool completely before transferring to a food-safe sealed container for storage. They’ll last for 3-4 days at room temperature!
More Gluten-Free Snack Recipes to Try!
- Gluten-Free Onion Rings
- Gluten-Free Soft Pretzels
- Gluten-Free Mozzarella Sticks
- Grit Cakes
- Gluten-Free Mini Corn Dog Bites
Gluten Free Cheez Its Copycat
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup gluten-free flour (140 grams), I use Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (57 grams), cold
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your flour blend already contains it
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2-3 tablespoons water, ice cold
Instructions
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside for now.
- Add the cheese, gluten-free flour, butter, xanthan gum (if needed), salt, and garlic powder to a high-powered blender or food processor. Blend for about 30 seconds until the mixture turns into a dry crumble.
- Add the cold water to the dry mixture and blend for about another 30 seconds until the mixture comes together into a dough consistency. The dough should be easy to work with – not too sticky to handle with your hands and not too dry that it crumbles apart.
- Form the dough into a ball and flatten to about a ½-inch to 1-inch in thickness. Wrap the dough in food-safe plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly dust your work surface (clean table or silicone baking mat) and rolling pin with gluten-free flour and roll the dough out until it is 1/8-inch to ¼-inch in thickness. Thicker dough will give you chewier crackers.
- Use a pizza cutting wheel or fluted pastry wheel to cut the dough into 1-inch squares.
- Use a lightly floured spatula to carefully lift the squares off your work surface and place them onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Spread the crackers at least ½-inch apart on the baking sheet so they have room to grow slightly.
- Using a skewer or chopstick (not a toothpick since a toothpick is too small), press a hole about ¾ of the way down in the middle of each cracker.
- Place the tray of crackers (bake 1 tray at a time) into the oven and bake for 14 to 15 minutes. They should look set on the top but should not start to brown. If they start to brown in the oven, you’ll end up with burnt crackers quickly. Since these are so thin, you do not want to overbake them or they’ll burn really fast.
- Let the crackers cool completely before transferring to a food-safe sealed container for storage.
Notes
-
- Be sure to use certified gluten-free all-purpose flour. I use Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour for this recipe. Other brands may yield different results.
-
- Measure your flour out in grams. Too much flour will cause the dough to be too dry and crumble when you try to roll it out. Too little flour will leave the dough too sticky to work with, and the crackers will be extra greasy. If you don’t have a food scale, use the “scoop and fill method.” Gently scoop spoonfuls of flour and sprinkle it into a measuring cup. Level off the top with a knife. If you use the measuring cup to scoop flour directly from the bag, you’ll end up with 25% more flour than needed because the flour packs down into the cup.
-
- Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. As I mentioned above, it doesn’t melt well because of the powdery coating added to stop the shreds from sticking together in the bag. There’s also a chance the anti-caking agent in the pre-shredded cheese could contain gluten. Grate your own cheese for the best results.
-
- I use sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe, but you can use mild cheddar for a less intense cheese flavor.
-
- Roll the dough out evenly so each cracker bakes at the same rate.
-
- It’s important that both the butter and water are really cold when mixing the ingredients together. You don’t want the butter to be melted or softened when cutting it into the flour.
-
- The thinner you roll out the dough, the crispier the cracker will be. If you like the crackers a little chewy, don’t roll the dough thinner than ¼-inch.
-
- Keep in mind the crackers will continue baking on the hot tray once they’re removed from the oven, so it’s important to remove them when they still look a bit undercooked. Overbaking the crackers, even for a few extra seconds, will cause them to burn.
-
- Bake one tray of crackers at a time so each tray gets even heat distribution.
- To Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Mama says “Check all of your labels.”
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cheez Its Step-by-Step
Line two large baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside. Add 8 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese (shredded), 1 cup of gluten-free flour (140 grams), ¼ cup of cold, cubed unsalted butter (57 grams), 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum (if needed), ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder to a high-powdered blender or food processor.
Blend the ingredients for about 30 seconds until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Add 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water to the dry crumble mixture and blend for another 30 seconds. The mixture should come together and form a dough. If it’s still too dry, add 1 more tablespoon of ice-cold water and blend again. The dough should be easy to work with – not too sticky but not too dry that it crumbles apart.
Roll the dough into a ball using your hands.
Flatten the dough ball until it’s about ½ an inch to 1 inch thick. Wrap the flattened dough ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for about 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F while the dough chills.
Very lightly dust your work surface (or silicone baking mat, as I prefer) and rolling pin with some gluten-free flour. Take the chilled dough from the fridge, remove the plastic wrap, and place it on your work surface. Roll the dough out until it’s ⅛ inch-¼ inch in thickness. The thicker the dough, the denser and chewier the crackers will be.
Cut your rolled-out dough into 1-inch squares. I use a fluted pastry wheel to get the classic Cheez Its crimped edge, but you can use a pizza cutter or sharp knife if you don’t have one.
Sprinkle a little flour over a spatula and carefully transfer the cutout crackers to your lined baking sheets. The flour will help prevent the crackers from sticking to the spatula.
Repeat with as many crackers as you can fit on the baking sheet, leaving about ½ inch space between each cracker. The gluten-free Cheez Its will spread slightly while baking, so it’s important to leave enough room for them to expand.
To make these gluten-free cheese crackers look like real Cheez Its, press a hole in the middle of each cracker with a chopstick or skewer. I wouldn’t use a toothpick to do this, as the hole would be too small and would close up while baking.
Bake one tray of crackers at a time for 14-15 minutes. They’ll look set on top but not browned. This gluten-free Cheez It recipe will burn very quickly if you’re not careful, as the crackers are so thin. Be very careful not to overbake them. Let the crackers cool before transferring to an airtight container, and enjoy!
