This recipe was all my nanny girl's idea, we both love Cheez-its and thought it would be fun to make them healthier and dairy free for me, and nut free for her! You will need a variety of seasonings, flour, nutritional yeast, and my secret ingredient; sweet potato. You will make a dough and cut them into the cracker shapes, then simply bake them. They are fun to make and kids can help too!
You will need:
All-purpose flour
Nutritional yeast
Baking powder
Garlic and onion powder (optional, omit for low FODMAP)
Ground mustard
Paprika
Turmeric
Salt
Sweet potato purée
Lemon juice
Oil
Water
Spray oil
Flake salt
Supplies:
Pizza or ravioli cutter
Parchment paper
Wooden skewer
Rolling pin
No nuts are used for this recipe and you can easily skip the garlic and onion powder to make it low FODMAP (if you are not sensitive to gluten).
The cheddar flavor comes for the combination of nutritional yeast, mustard, and lemon juice. The garlic and onion add to the flavor as well but again are not required.
The color comes from the paprika, turmeric, and sweet potato. The sweet potato also adds a touch of sweetness. I cooked my own potato, but I also thought using a sweet potato baby food would work just as well and will save on prep time.
Start by adding all your dry ingredients to a medium bowl. Mix together all the ingredients.
Next add your wet ingredients. Add your water one tablespoon at a time and mix between each addition. After you have added about 3 or 4 tablespoons, and the dough is mostly sticking together, start mixing the dough together with your hands, trying to get everything evenly mixed.
The dough will be flaky (like seen in the photo above) after working it with your hands for a bit, knead the dough on the counter about 30 times or until there are no longer flaky spots, then stop working it. Place it between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it flat, about the thickness of a nickel.
Then using a pizza cutter or ravioli cutter like I used, cut 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch squares and place them on a parchment covered baking sheet. I like to use my wooden skewer as a straight line guide.
Then using the fat end of your wooden skewer, poke holes in the middle of each square.
Spray the tops with spray oil and sprinkle on flake salt.
Bake for 15-16 minutes in a regular oven and 18-20 minutes in a convection oven, or until the edges are turning golden brown and are hard when tapped.
Store in an air-tight container for a couple of days.
Ingredients
Dry
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder*
1/4 tsp onion powder*
1/8 tsp dried ground mustard
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
*Optional, just adds a touch more flavor but not necessary.
Wet
2 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp sweet potato purée or sweet potato baby food
3-4 Tbsp cold water*
Spray oil
Flake or Kosher salt
*Add one tablespoon at a time until dough is formed, amount may depend on how much moisture is in your sweet potato.
Directions
Start by washing a small sweet potato and poke it with a fork in several spots. Microwave your potato for about 5 minutes or until soft all the way through, carful when checking, it will be hot.
Let your potato cool for a few minutes. Then cut it in half and add some to a mini food processor and blend until smooth. Scoop out 2 tablespoons worth and set aside. You could also try sweet potato baby food.
Now in a large bowl, add all your dry ingredients. Mix everything together evenly.
Next add you oil, lemon juice, sweet potato and two tablespoons of your water.
Stir everything well, then add another tablespoon of water and mix. Repeat this until you have a dough that holds it's shape and does not crumble, but is not wet either. Don't add more than 4 tablespoons. I recommend using your hands to mix. Make sure to get the sweet potato incorporated.
Knead the dough about 30 times or until it is no longer flaking. When your dough is formed and there are not spots of sweet potato or flour, stop working the dough.
Now preheat your oven to 350° and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Take two large pieces of parchment paper and place your dough between the two. Using a rolling pin, roll out your dough until it is thin, about the thickness of a nickel. For this step it is helpful to have someone hold the paper from sliding around on the counter.
Now using a pizza cutter or wavy ravioli cutter like I used, cut as many of 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch squares as you can (or the size of a regular Cheez-it). I like to use my skewer as a straight line guide when cutting the strips. Place each square on your parchment paper covered baking sheet. I then take the scraps and re-roll them out, you can add just a touch of water if the dough is drying out.
Now using the fat end of your wooden skewer, poke a hole in the middle of each square.
Lastly spray the tops of your crackers lightly with spray oil. Then sprinkle with flake salt or kosher salt to taste.
Bake for 15-16 minutes in a regular oven and 18-20 minutes in a convection oven, or until the edges are turning golden brown and they are hard when tapped.
Let them fully cool, then store in an air-tight container for a few days.