• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Learn how food affects your body. Get Free Nutrition Info Today

the-lean-green-bean-logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Kids
  • Resources
    • Ebooks
    • Food Prep
    • Videos
    • Snack Round-Ups
  • About
    • Become An RD
    • Work With Me
  • Search
the-lean-green-bean-logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Kids
  • Resources
    • Ebooks
    • Food Prep
    • Videos
    • Snack Round-Ups
  • About
    • Become An RD
    • Work With Me
  • Search

Homemade Cheez-Its

October 2, 2020 by Lindsay 51 Comments

Like Cheez-Its but hate the ingredient list? Make this homemade version with real, simple ingredients and snack on them all week long!

Hi Friends!

As promised, here is the recipe for the Homemade Cheez-Its I talked about in my Pistachio Pairings Challenge post for Recipe Redux!

Like Cheez-Its but hate the ingredient list? Make this homemade version with real, simple ingredients and snack on them all week long!

I’m not actually a huge fan of Cheez-Its but I love making homemade versions of storebought crackers!

This recipe is a little bit tedious, but the ingredients are simple and with a little effort, you can have your very own cheesy crackers to snack on! This recipe was adapted from these Easy Whole Wheat Cheddar Crackers. It’s not uber healthy, but now that I have a base recipe I like, I can always experiment to put a healthier twist on them later 🙂

Here’s how you make them:

Print

Homemade Cheez-Its

homemade cheezits
Print Recipe

A simple, homemade version of your favorite store-bought Cheddar crackers.

  • Author: Lindsay L
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 4 Tbsp butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • ½ – 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 strips of cooked bacon (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the butter and flour in a food processor and pulse to combine.
  2. Add the remaining ingredients and process until a ball of dough forms.
  3. Transfer to a flat surface, cover with parchment paper and roll the dough out.
  4. Cut into desired sized crackers and transfer to a baking sheet.
  5. Gather scraps and edges and re-roll and cut remaining crackers.
  6. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-10 minutes depending on the size and thickness of your crackers.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @theleangreenbean on Instagram

The notes listed in the recipe above are important so I’m going to list them here for you too:

  • For the cheese you can use white or yellow cheddar, or you could use half cheddar/half pepperjack, or colby jack. Pick your favorite! Just remember if you use white cheddar that they won’t look like cheez-its.
  • I made mine with bacon. I assume you could leave it out. You might want to add an extra Tbsp of butter if you do.
  • The dough is very soft and sticky. It might roll better if you chill it for a little bit first but I didn’t try that. Putting the parchment paper on top will keep it from sticking to the rolling pin.

Like Cheez-Its but hate the ingredient list? Make this homemade version with real, simple ingredients and snack on them all week long!

I made our extra spicy and used half spicy colby jack/half Cheddar. Watch them carefully while they cook. I cut mine pretty small and the first batch got a little crispy when I left them in for 10 minutes, so the second batch I only cooked for 6-7 minutes.

Like Cheez-Its but hate the ingredient list? Make this homemade version with real, simple ingredients and snack on them all week long!

With a few simple ingredients and not too much effort you can have a homemade version of your favorite store-bought Cheez-Its to snack on!

They’re the perfect addition to my trailmix!

Like Cheez-Its but hate the ingredient list? Make this homemade version with real, simple ingredients and snack on them all week long!

Have you ever made a homemade version of your favorite crackers?

Enjoy!
–Lindsay–

table talk series
LEARN HOW FOOD AFFECTS YOUR BODY.

Get my free Table Talk email series where I share bite-sized nutrition information about carbs, protein, and fat, plus bonus information about snacks and sugar!

Enter your email here ...

Filed Under: Snack Tagged With: Butter, Cheese, White Whole Wheat Flour

About Lindsay

Lindsay Livingston is a Registered Dietitian and new mom from Columbus, Ohio. On her blog, she shares simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, workouts and snapshots of her life. Follow her on Twitter @LeanGrnBeanBlog and Instagram @TheLeanGreenBean and be sure to subscribe via RSS or email so you never miss a post!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather @ fit mama real food says

    February 6, 2014 at 1:27 AM

    My whole wheat cheddar crackers I make (and just made a couple days ago too!) are pretty similar, but without the bacon and paprika, but with onion powdered added in. They’re addictive + better than store bough crackers. You actually know everything that goes into them!

    Reply
    • Brittany (Healthy Slice of Life) says

      February 6, 2014 at 7:05 AM

      I added onion powder to mine, too, and I really liked the taste difference! Reminds me to make another batch of crackers soon 🙂

      Reply
      • Lindsay says

        February 10, 2014 at 3:32 PM

        oooh great idea!

        Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:34 PM

      yes! so perfect!

      Reply
  2. Arman @ thebigmansworld says

    February 6, 2014 at 3:29 AM

    Oh my.

    I am stoked you are posting all these cheese and carb combinations lately- I need to OD on it all before my whole30 challenge in March!

    Reply
  3. Tara | Treble in the Kitchen says

    February 6, 2014 at 4:33 AM

    Oh yum! Brian will LOVE these 🙂 Thank you for sharing, Lindsay!

    Reply
  4. Presley @ Run Pretty says

    February 6, 2014 at 6:18 AM

    I’m still stuck on the fact that you don’t like Cheez Its. Whaaat? haha Seriously, though, I love that fake cheese taste. Sad, right? Thanks for the recipe. 🙂

    Reply
    • Amy @ Long Drive Journey says

      February 6, 2014 at 8:46 AM

      Hahaha I agree! Cheez-It’s are my weakness and when I saw that Lindsay was making these, I almost fell out of my desk chair…into my desk drawer where there is a giant box of Cheez-It’s. Whoops.

      Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:34 PM

      haha i always preferred gold fish over cheezits!

      Reply
  5. Linz @ Itz Linz says

    February 6, 2014 at 6:19 AM

    these look amazing!! i’ve never made my own crackers or anything, but i’ve totally been digging cheez-its lately, so i may have to try these!! sounds simple enough to me!!

    Reply
  6. lindsay says

    February 6, 2014 at 6:56 AM

    oh heck ya! GF flour will do here and yes to bacon. I would never leave that out

    Reply
    • Brooke says

      February 6, 2014 at 9:46 AM

      Oh good, I was just wondering if I could make these with all-purpose GF flour! The kids (and hubs) will be so happy 🙂

      Reply
  7. Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says

    February 6, 2014 at 7:00 AM

    Genius!!

    Reply
  8. Tina Muir says

    February 6, 2014 at 7:01 AM

    Yay! I am so glad you posted this! I was thinking about those cheez its a lot yesterday! Thanks for the recipe! Cant wait to make!

    Reply
  9. HollieisFueledByLOLZ says

    February 6, 2014 at 7:13 AM

    This speaks to my heart. We go through so many boxes of cheese its in this house. Thank you for sharing,

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:32 PM

      give them a try! so good 🙂

      Reply
  10. Laura @ Mommy Run Fast says

    February 6, 2014 at 7:14 AM

    I was so motivated to make homemade crackers when L was younger, and now I guess I’ve gotten lazy… I really need to try your recipe. Sounds so yummy, and I know she would LOVE them!

    Reply
  11. Angela @ Happy Fit Mama says

    February 6, 2014 at 7:25 AM

    I make homemade graham crackers for my kids quite often. My kids would go ga ga over these especially if I made them into cute little shapes to mimic goldfish crackers. Pinning!

    Reply
  12. Maryea {happy healthy mama} says

    February 6, 2014 at 7:54 AM

    I’d love to see the healthy twist you put on these! I love making homemade crackers, but they get eaten so quickly around here I don’t do it that often. It takes longer for me to make them than it does for my family to eat them!

    Reply
  13. Sam @ Better With Sprinkles says

    February 6, 2014 at 8:14 AM

    This is so brilliant! And of course, the bacon addition – I’ll definitely have to make these.

    Reply
  14. Jennifer F says

    February 6, 2014 at 8:20 AM

    Not a big cracker eater but they look darn good in that trail mix — plus, I’m so impressed that you made them!

    Reply
  15. [email protected] says

    February 6, 2014 at 8:40 AM

    the boys in my house LOVE cheez its, great idea to make these!!

    Reply
  16. Sara @ LovingOnTheRun says

    February 6, 2014 at 9:04 AM

    Cheez Its are my FAVORITE! I can’t wait to try this.

    Reply
  17. Carly @ Snack Therapy says

    February 6, 2014 at 9:45 AM

    HOW do you not like cheez-its?! Crazy. But you’ve definitely redeemed yourself by creating this amazing recipe.

    Reply
  18. Candace @ Cabot says

    February 6, 2014 at 9:55 AM

    Perfect little squares of cheesy deliciousness. After trying these, I’m sure that the store bought kind will pale in comparison. Love the idea of adding bacon!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:31 PM

      Thanks Candace! I think the bacon is the key ingredient 🙂

      Reply
  19. Holly @ EatGreatBEGreat says

    February 6, 2014 at 10:06 AM

    I love this! As a kid (and even now), I liked Cheez Its. I never buy them though because I don’t want to eat all the extra junk they throw in there, so I love the idea of making my own; plus, they sound super easy to make too!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:31 PM

      yes! homemade for the win!

      Reply
  20. Elizabeth @ Positive Change says

    February 6, 2014 at 10:23 AM

    So cute! I would love to try to make these! Making crackers have never occurred to me but now I might just have to this out!

    Reply
  21. Hannah @ CleanEatingVeggieGirl says

    February 6, 2014 at 10:28 AM

    I love that you made yours spicy!! Those sound fantastic!

    Reply
  22. [email protected] says

    February 6, 2014 at 11:17 AM

    I love this! What a great idea- who knew making homemade cheese its could be so easy?

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:30 PM

      yes indeedy! 🙂

      Reply
  23. jobo says

    February 6, 2014 at 11:46 AM

    holy YUM! these look fantastic!!! I need to try them tho I bet they don’t look as pretty as yours!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:30 PM

      luckily appearance doesn’t alter the taste 🙂 enjoy!

      Reply
  24. Dietitian Jess says

    February 6, 2014 at 12:02 PM

    What a great idea! You should do a future post of all your healthified (not sure if that is a word-but hopefully you know what I mean) recipes!!

    Reply
  25. Courtney @ Don't Blink. Just Run. says

    February 6, 2014 at 12:06 PM

    Those sound amazing! I can’t wait to try these.

    Reply
  26. Dana @ Conscious Kitchen Blog says

    February 6, 2014 at 12:13 PM

    Yum! Can’t wait to try these!

    Reply
  27. Kelly @ The Pretty Bee: Cooking + Creating says

    February 6, 2014 at 2:56 PM

    Yum! I love making homemade crackers, and yours look delicious!!

    Reply
  28. Jackie says

    February 6, 2014 at 3:01 PM

    Omg I need to try these!!!

    Reply
  29. Jody - Fit at 56 says

    February 6, 2014 at 3:09 PM

    I was a “crackerholic” as a kid & when I was heavy so I have to be so careful! 😉

    Reply
  30. Alexandra Caspero says

    February 6, 2014 at 3:14 PM

    I haven’t had cheez-its in so long! These look delicious and not too difficult to whip up for an afternoon snack.

    Reply
  31. Danica @ It's Progression says

    February 6, 2014 at 3:47 PM

    Oh my gosh, the ingredients list on a box of Cheez-Its makes me so freaked out. Same goes for those Goldfish. Yikes!
    Good work on this recipe, girl 🙂

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:29 PM

      thanks! goldfish used to be my weakness!

      Reply
  32. Matt @ Runner Savvy says

    February 6, 2014 at 7:59 PM

    Must. Try. These.

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:30 PM

      they’re so addicting.

      Reply
  33. Tamara says

    February 6, 2014 at 8:53 PM

    Lindsay, I’m with you. Not a huge Cheez Itz fan. But I have an 11-year old daughter who is… Pinning this and giving it a try with her soon!

    Reply
    • Lindsay says

      February 10, 2014 at 3:30 PM

      yay! hope she loves them!

      Reply
  34. Dan says

    February 7, 2014 at 11:16 AM

    I make a very similar one for parties but instead of bacon and paprika, I use chopped pecans and curry spices. (Although bacon would be an excellent addition!) And a good trick it to roll the dough into long tubes, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. Then just slice and cook.

    They’re not the healthiest snack, but i figure if you serve them to a lot of people, there’s never enough to overindulge yourself! 🙂

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Fascinating Friday Links #23 | Daily Moves and Grooves says:
    February 7, 2014 at 5:51 AM

    […] favorite!] Homemade Cheez-Its via The Lean Green […]

    [WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The comment’s server IP (192.0.80.57) doesn’t match the comment’s URL host IP (76.74.254.120) and so is spam.

    Reply
  2. MIMM: Cooking, Watching, Running says:
    February 17, 2014 at 5:01 PM

    […] Cheez Its– I saw this recipe on the Lean Green Bean and decided to try it out. Cheez Its are my favorite. The taste was great, […]

    Reply
  3. Happy National Trail Mix Day | 11 Trail Mix Recipes | Our Knight Life says:
    August 29, 2014 at 1:30 AM

    […] Pistachio Trail Mix with Homemade Cheez-Its: A creative combination of pistachios, cranberries, and cheese crackers. (PLUS – Homemade Cheez-It’s Recipe) […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Primary Sidebar

Lindsay Livingston The Lean Green Bean Healthy Living Tips and Tricks

I'm a Registered Dietitian and mom of three from Columbus, Ohio. I use this blog to share simple, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and an honest glimpse of motherhood!

Learn More →

Questions? Comments? Email me: [email protected]

The Lean Green Bean Facebook The Lean Green Bean Instagram The Lean Green Bean Pinterest The Lean Green Bean Twitter The Lean Green Bean Feed
footer-logo
The Lean Green Bean Facebook The Lean Green Bean Instagram The Lean Green Bean Pinterest The Lean Green Bean Twitter The Lean Green Bean Feed
Recipes

Breakfast
Dinner
Snack
Slow Cooker

Kids

Cooking With Kids
Favorite Gifts
Toddler Meals
Indoor Activities

Resources

Easy Packed Lunches for Kids
Dinner Spark
Snack Spark
Ultimate Guide to Food Prep

About

Meet Lindsay
Become an RD
Work with Me

The Lean Green Bean is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Read the full privacy and disclosure policy here.

Copyright © 2022 · The Lean Green Bean

table talk series

Learn how food affects your body.

Get my free Table Talk email series where I share bite-sized nutrition information about carbs, protein, and fat, plus bonus information about snacks and sugar!

[email protected]