Turn Cheez-Its Into a Healthier, Dairy-Free Snack With This Easy Recipe

You won’t believe how delicious these homemade Cheez-Its taste. Not only is this version healthier than its packaged counterpart, but you'll be happy to know it’s also 100 percent plant-based.

The cheesy flavor comes from nutritional yeast (a vegan’s secret weapon), and turmeric provides both color and anti-inflammatory health benefits. These crispy, crunchy, and savory crackers are so tasty, that you’ll hardly remember just how nutritious they actually are!

But, why not just buy brand-name crackers? Snacks filled with processed oils and excess salt can lead to health risks like diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. All the more reason to make a batch or two of these homemade Cheez-Its!

Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes

Cost: $1.27 recipe| $0.09 serving

Healthy Homemade Cheez-Its

14 servings of 10-12 crackers (~140 crackers total)

Ingredients

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour ($0.05)
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast ($0.75)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric ($0.02)
• A pinch of paprika is optional for color ($0.01)
• ½ teaspoon baking powder ($0.01)
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder ($0.02)
• ¾ teaspoon salt ($0.01)
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil ($0.39)
• 3 tablespoons cold water ($0.01)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together thoroughly. Add avocado oil and combine using a hand mixer on low until crumbly.
3. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough sticks together when you pinch it. Work the dough into a rough disc shape and transfer it to a floured surface. 
4. Dust your rolling pin and the top of the dough, then roll it out to a ¼-inch thickness.
5. With a knife or pizza cutter, slice the dough into approximately 1x1 inch squares. Optionally, use the end of a small chopstick to indent the centers of the squares (just like Cheez-Its).
6. Transfer the squares to your baking pan. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until golden and crispy. Let them cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container for storage. Enjoy!

Notes

• The avocado oil can be replaced with olive oil or any other neutral vegetable oil.
• Use more or less nutritional yeast to adjust the cheese flavor.
• Make a gluten-free version with a 1:1 GF all-purpose flour substitute.

Nutrition: 1 of 14 servings
Calories 65 | Total Fat 3.5g | Saturated Fat 0.4g | Cholesterol 0mg | Sodium 43.6mg | Total Carbohydrates 6.9g | Dietary Fiber 0.6g | Total Sugars 0g | Protein 1.6g | Calcium 24.5mg | Iron 0.6mg | Potassium 17.3mg |