So I started checking out how to make crackers on the web. Gluten free, tasty cheese crackers. After a few batches of experimentation, we've hit on a combo of recipes that works really well for us, and the boys love them! It's a bit of work, and certainly not as inexpensive as buying goldfish crackers...but now when give them a handful of crackers as part of their snack, I know what kind of ingredients are in there, and I can feel good about that. Plus a small handful (ten or so) of these fills them up in a way that the never ending self-serve snackie cup of goldfish never did! Now if I could just find a teensy tiny goldfish cracker cutter...
Better than Goldfish Crackers
4 oz shredded cheese (we use a combo of cheddar and Kerrygold Dubliner - strong is good here)
4 tablespoons cultured butter
3/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch or arrowroot
1/4 tsp salt
2 tablespoons milk or half & half
Optional: salt for sprinkling
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a backing sheet, or I use a silpat instead.
Combine all ingredients except milk in the food processor and pulse until it is fine crumbs. Pulse in a little milk at a time until you have a smooth dough.
You can roll them out on a lightly greased surface (the dough is sticky) but I've had good luck splitting the dough into two gallon sized bags and rolling it out there. Then I put the bags into the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour (or until I remember I was making crackers). You slit the bag down the sides and there's your nicely shaped square of dough.
I've just been taking a sharp knife and cutting the crackers into squares. I've found the boys like the crackers best at about 1/2" squares. Larger sizes are less crispy but very tasty. After cutting the squares, take a fork and pierce lightly all over the dough, then sprinkle with your favorite sea salt if desired. We use a brand called Real Salt.
Then I transfer the crackers to the silpat in batches and bake off for 9 minutes or so, until the crackers a lightly golden brown and crispy. Watch it closely; they can go from not quite done to burned in a heart beat or at least in the time it takes to break up a tussle over who gets that Buzz Lightyear doll. You want to pull them before they are really browned or you'll get burned crackers anyhow. Transfer to a rack to cool completely and store in an airtight container to retain crispiness.Try not to eat them all the first day, and watch for little poachers on the cooling racks!
