Cheddar and Leek Crackers Recipe
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Make your own snacks – everything’s better when it’s handmade!
I’m not going to get up on a soapbox and tell you that you should make your own snacks. It’s not about whether or not you should make them. The fact that you can make them is what is impressive!
I was pretty surprised when I learned what a snap it is to make crackers. The dough comes together really easily, and they don’t rely on the same sort of precision and chemistry as most baked goods.
If you are a fan of washing dishes, go ahead and blend this dough together with a stand mixer, but I find it much easier to do it the old-fashioned way – with just a good wooden spoon and my hands. A truly hand-made snack! I like the rustic look of uneven crackers, but tiny cookie cutters can amp up the presentation factor.
Irish Cheddar & Leek Crackers
Makes about 80 crackers
Ingredients:
• 7-ounce package of Irish cheddar
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup dried leeks
• 3 tbsp water
Note: I chose an Irish cheddar because I like the tanginess, but say you wanted to go for a different cheese that comes in the traditional 8-ounce package and you don’t have a kitchen scale. No problem! Throw it all in. Your crackers will be extra cheesy. You’re not bummed about that, are you?
Directions
1. Grate the entire block of cheese into a fluffy pile of shreds. (This gave me an opportunity to bust out my super-quick hand-crank cheese grating device!)
2. Mix together the cheese, butter, salt, and pepper by hand. It should have the consistency of play-doh.
3. Add the cup of flour roughly 1/4 cup at a time. No need to measure; just blend the flour in well each time before adding more. You can use a spoon to mix the dough and break up any sticky clumps with your fingers.
4. Mix in the leek flakes. The dough should be dry and crumbly at this point.
5. Moisten the dough by mixing in the water one tablespoon at a time.
6. Gently form the dough into a large ball, then break it in half. Wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for one hour.
7. Preheat the over to 375° and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
8. Roll the dough into a very thin sheet, about 1/8 inch, on a lightly floured work surface.
9. Cut the dough into crackers using a knife or pizza cutter and poke a hole in the center of each cracker using a chopstick.
10. Bake the crackers for 13-14 minutes, until the edges darken to a golden brown.
11. Cool completely on a wire rack before storing.
Tip: The crackers will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container.
we heartsters – do you make any of your favorite snacks from scratch?
Heather blogs at foodforfunandpleasure and is a spice mistress extraordinaire at the Spice Station in Silverlake, CA.
photos: heather for we heart this
Yummy! Does the hole help the cracker bake, or is it just because it looks pretty. (Seriously, those are some impressive crackers.)
I don’t make any snacks from scratch regularly except for the occasional hummus. I like mine with lemon and lime so making my own gets me just what I want for cheaper than the ready-made kind. I also like just roasting chickpeas and tossing them with spices; it’s like CornNuts except, ya know, not 8,000 calories. :-)
Cheddar, did you say cheddar! Love this and cannot wait to make them! Thanks for this yummy recipe! These look amazing @heather!
I have never thought about making crackers before. They have just always seemed like something that you buy. But these look positively delicious!! I really want to give these cheesy crackers a try. Yummy!!
Oh, these look so incredible! I love, love, love cheese, and the subtle taste of leeks mixed with it has me going crazy. Can’t wait to make this. Thank you, @heather!
@heather – This looks heavenly. I am working hard at not eating things that are pre packaged or with preservatives. It is not easy.
Thanks for sharing this great recipe and keep your good ideas coming.
@lyssachelle – The hole probably help when the cracker puffs up while it is baking, but in all honesty I do it because it makes them look fancier! :)
Happy snacking!
I ain’t gonna lie – I’d eat the crap out of these crackers! I may not even wait for them to be baked.
Ooo, I think I may try them this weekend for my Mad Men premiere party!
That’s a great reason to try these out @stef – I would love to be nibbling on these crackers, sipping and drink and watching Mad Men right now!
This is great! I never even thought to attempt making crackers, but this recipe looks easy to make.
I just looked at these again.. I’m just crackers about cheesy homemade crackers!!! Going to make them for my sister’s family this weekened while we are at Big Bear. I’m going to experiment with some of the aged rugged cheddar cheese I have already!
I love leeks, AND cheese, AND crackers! Unfortunately, I am quite challenged in the kitchen. But crackers made with Irish cheddar sound quite enticing. I’d feel like a real Martha Stewart if I could manage this!
You can do it @lipglossandspandex! I swear, anything that you can just mash together with your hands is a great place to start in the kitchen!
Okay, so now I have to make these…especially with Irish cheddar. I got to go on my dream trip to Ireland last fall and came back with an addiction to Irish cheddar and Irish butter. I can only imagine the creamy, tangy goodness that is Irish cheddar in cracker form. Will someone come over and make these for me? Like, right now? *flashes the doe eyes my dogs give me when they want something*
My word, these look scrumptious! Seriously making these ASAP! I’ve never made my own crackers, but have been intrigued by Dorie Greenspan’s recipes for cheesy crackers. Thank you for the inspiration.
@heather – I couldn’t find dried leeks. So I bought a fresh one, think I could dry it out in the oven? And what part of the leek is edible, anyway? I always thought you didn’t eat the green bit but the dried ones look pretty green in your crackers.
@Stef Basically the middle section of leeks is edible – chop of the rooty bottom, and cut off the top where the leaves start to separate. That part is tough. Leeks are going to be your new fav! Sautee them up and throw them in egg dishes, pasta, etc.
I usually cut the leek in half length-wise, then chop into 1/2 inch or so pieces. Make sure to wash it really well, since dirt can get stuck around the rings and nothing ruins something delicious like crunching on some dirt! Submerging in a bowl of water and then separating the rings helps. Let dry in a strainer. (or use a salad spinner if you have one)
I haven’t dried my own leeks before, but it looks like the common instructions are to get as dry as possible in a strainer, separate on a cookie sheet, and bake on 170 for around 6 hours. There are some step-by-step instructions here:
http://www.ehow.com/how_7375032_dry-leeks.html
If you don’t have a spare 6 hours on your hands, try cutting them into smaller pieces, then after you dry them in a strainer or salad spinner, pat them as dry as you can get with paper towels. Squeeze them to get as much water as humanly possible out. You would probably have to add a little extra bake time, but there is some water in this recipe already, so it’s worth a shot!
Otherwise, dried leeks are available from Spice Station in Los Angeles…call 323-660-2565 and we’ll ship some to you! :)
Burnt my leeks already – in under 1 hour. My oven is possessed.
@heather – would you go dried onions or Fine Hebes instead, those are my choices!
No!
I’d go fines herbes!
Mmmmm, I bet the tang of the cheese would cover up any rice-y flavor in my gluten free flour blend. This recipe looks fantastic! Thanks @heather.