Sunday, December 5, 2010

Whole Wheat CheeseBoy Crackers!

I'm still not baking - at least not cookies and not for my husband and myself. One more week to go of eating healthy! That's doesn't mean I can't make a treat for my grandson, though :)


However, these treats are not cookies - they're whole wheat cheese crackers!


I made these using the Christmas pastry cutters from Williams Sonoma. They're less than 2" long and just adorable. The crackers are healthy and delicious! I had a hard time keeping my husband from devouring them all.


I found this great recipe here after doing a Google search for cheese crackers. Mack loves cheese crackers and these are so much better than Goldfish.



Whole Wheat Cheese Crackers
Adapted from High Five Recipes
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, room temperature
2 cups whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cold water

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

In a large bowl, beat butter and salt until creamy. Add cheese and mix well. Gradually add flour, baking powder and water, mixing until dough begins to form a ball. Remove the dough from the bowl, divide in half and pat into two balls with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap.

Using one ball of dough at a time, roll the dough into 1/8 inch thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. Cut the rolled out dough in shapes with cutters or simply cut into 1 ½ inch squares. Place on parchment or silicon baking mat lined baking sheets.

Bake 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing.

70 comments:

  1. Those are so cute, thanks for the recipe. I am going to give them a try. Take care:)

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  2. Ha, love them! Crackers, what a great idea! Lucky Mack to have such a creative and talented Nana!

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  3. Those are so cute! What a great Nana you are..funny that you had to hide them from John!

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  4. wow these are adorable what a cool Grandma u are

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  5. What a great idea ... these look so cute and I bet they're tasty!

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  6. I am so loving these!! Bookmarking it to make soon. Also loving your blog! Now your newest follower. Off to check it out more!!

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  7. I just packed my lunch for work today today (salad with avocado, bacon bits and creme fraiche dressing), and would love a couple cheesy crackers! Cute cute!

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  8. Thanks for the recipe, they do look cute!

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  9. How adorable are those cheeseboys! Thanks for the recipe :-)

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  10. Oh my!! These look just wonderful. Must give them a try!! Have a grand week and thank you for visiting! Cathy

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  11. These sound great and they look so cute! You had much better luck than I did with the cutters-enjoy:@)

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  12. The crackers look very good indeed. Here in Sweden we bake 'gingerbread old men' and 'gingerbread old ladies' for Christmas......Thank you for visiting my blog. Yes rhododendrons are my absolute favourites, but I could have some more irises too. You have so many lovely. Have a nice week.

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  13. How adorable. You would have a hard time keeping me from devouring them also.
    Sam

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  14. These cheese cookies look so very pretty and festive! Love the idea of using "gingerbread man" cutter. Very festive!

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  15. They could not be cuter and they sound delicious..I think I have the perfect cutter..Oh Nana..:)

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  16. Copied and pasted!!!! I like this recipe...I have just a problem...how to substitute Cheddar...because here they don't sell it!! :( ...have a nice Monday, hugs, Flavia

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  17. I always think goldfish are made with toxic waste.. that color is just wrong!!! This is a great little cracker, Susan. I love that you made them into little men... and did such a perfect job of it. The kids must have been thrilled with it!!

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  18. Aww, thank you kindly everyone!

    Flavia, perhaps you could substitute Colby or Cheshire from England if you can find it.

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  19. Susan,

    These crackers look nice and they must be delicious because I love cheese. Your red plate is wonderful.

    Kisses,

    Sacer

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  20. What a great idea! I have a little gingerbread boy that can be pressed into service somewhere. Thanks for the recipe!

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  21. Cheese Boys! Gotta love it.

    Susan, I used to make cheese crackers for Thumper, to keep him from asking for Goldfish crackers. And, during all that time, it never occurred to me to use gingerbread men cookie cutters.
    This is a brilliant!

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  22. I am going to try these. Thanks for sharing!

    Barb

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  23. You weren't kidding when you said they were adorable! I'd have a hard time not eating them all, too!

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  24. these aree just the cutest thing ever! and it looks so festive as well. thanks for sharing this.

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  25. These remind me of the cheese straws my grandmother used to make. I'm going to have to find a gluten-free way to make these.

    YUM!

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  26. Well it's no wonder you liked my mosaic that included a bit of Williams-Sonoma and the kitchen part of Anthropologie. The crackers look delicious!

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  27. OMG!!!!! I love these... and just ordered the leaf pastry cutters from Williams Sonoma - now I will be back looking for these. Two inches is perfect and I have been working to perfect some homemade crackers... they are so much tastier and healthier and what fun! I am jealous of you being grandma. First, you are FAR to young and too pretty! Second, I have two daughters 30 and 32 and am dying to be grandma, too... but, not yet. Neither is married. Haha! Soon. One is marrying in June, and the other (I think) is about to be engaged. Lucky, Lucky you. I just borrowed some little children to bake cookies with Saturday - and, coincidentally - did you see my great big fat gingerbread man post? Just posted yesterday. Wish I had these cutters to follow up that post with... Thank you for the scrumptious recipe and continued inspiration!
    :)
    valerie

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  28. I bet those are good! Thanks for sharing the recipe - I will pass it on to my daughter.
    Have a great week.

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  29. I have just printed off the recipe. I have some small cutters that I can use. They would be just devine with dips or cheeses or just by themselves. Thanks so much.

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  30. These little men are so cute even I would love to eat them all. Great treat for a little child.

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  31. Those crackers are adorable, Susan!

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  32. thanks for this lovely recipe Susan, those cracker are perfect with a slice of good salame!A hug....

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  33. These are so cute! And I love that they are healthy too. I have been baking too many cookies!

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  34. Oh my! What a delightful way to get kids to eat well. Those are the cutest crackers. I would help your grandkids devour these up except, I might enjoy mine with a glass of wine.

    Cheers!
    Velva

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  35. Wonderful! I think my big boys would like them too. What a fun idea to serve with a hot tomato soup on a snowy day.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  36. What cute crackers! So much better than goldfish. Mack's a lucky little guy!

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  37. Adorable, tasty and healthy! Couldn't get better than that!

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  38. Oh I love these...perfect crackers for the Holidays :) Adorable!

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  39. they look like gingerbread cookies and they are actually cheese crackers! how can you resist! I love this recipe, brilliant and perfect execution as well!

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  40. They look fabulous! You used the cutters I sent you or are these smaller? Just adorable!

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  41. You have such discipline to not start baking! I waited until after Thanksgiving but then I couldn't wait anymore. Thankfully, I have lots of places for them to go. These are the cutest little guys ever. I have the circus WS cutters...hmmm...I think I need some of these little guys. They are so cute and your pics, as usual, are fabulous. Love the red plate too. Thanks for linking up with "It's Your Wonderful Life" Party. Joni

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  42. These look great! I'm going to try them out in animal cracker form!

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  43. These are so adorable and just as festive as any cookie! Way better than goldfish.

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  44. what cute liuttle wheat cracker men..with their three buttons...and healthy...now there's a good idea. I also like the idea that thye are salty...we are eating so much chocolates that I am in constant need of something salty. I will definitily try these this coming weekend...to have something salty along with the Christmas cookies. by looking at the recipe, it seems they can be kept for a while?
    And lovely images too..as I'm used to seeing here!
    Bises
    Ronelle

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  45. What a wonderful idea! Crackers have less calories than cookies yet the gingerbresd shape makes them look equally festive for the holidsy.

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  46. Absolutely adorable, Susan. I'm saving this recipe. Have a great week!

    :)
    ButterYum

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  47. I will choose a savory treat over a sweet one every day of the week. And your little gingerbread men are so festive, Susan. I've added this to my recipe list for the holidays. Thanks for sharing.

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  48. Mack is one lucky little boy to have Nana make him homemade cheese crackers. They are just so adorable looking too. I got a WS catalog today and haven't had time to browse it - I hope the pastry cutters are listed. I love my fall leaf ones and think I need some gingerbread boys.

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  49. how cute are these! i love them!

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  50. Those are adorable! My grandson would love these as well. I saw those cutters in WS last week- now I'm wishing I'd bought them. My cookie cutter will have to do. :)

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  51. Just had to link to these "little fells" today at "Once Upon a Recipe." Sounds like a wonderful recipe to START a tradition! Have a grand day! Cathy

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  52. What a wonderful healthy treat! My grandson(15) loves to cook and bake, so I'm keeping this for their next visit.

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  53. Oh they are beyond cute!!

    And they sound delicious too.

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  54. What a great idea for healthy crackers! I'm always on the lookout for a healthy alternative to wheat thins! LOL!!! Love the Williams-Somoma cutters also, I have two sets of the Fall ones!

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  55. Thank you, everyone!

    Ronelle, I wish I could tell you how long they will keep. This is the first time I've made them. They might disappear before you have to worry about that :)

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  56. Seriously cute. I admire that your little men haven't spread in the oven and that their little buttons and faces remain exactly in place.

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  57. Seriously cute. I admire that your little men haven't spread in the oven and that their little buttons and faces remain exactly in place.

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  58. Your crackers looks cute! Will be bookmarking this, thanks for sharing!

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  59. So cute! And they're whole wheat?! I love it! I'm bookmarking this recipe, thanks for sharing it :)

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  60. These cookies are so cute.

    Got to see your blog via ocean breezes and country sneezes. I can clearly see why she has highly recommended your blog because your blog is very good :D Love all your yummy creations.

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  61. These cheese crackers are so adorable! Frankly, I think I'd enjoy these better than cookies and knowing that they're whole wheat, I'd have a hard time leaving them alone, too! :-)

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  62. Dear heaven these are cute! And a nice healthy alternative to cookies!

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  63. Those are so adorable, Susan! I copied the recipe immediately.
    They won't last a day in this house!

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  64. These are so cute! I love savory baked treats - your grandson is so lucky!

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  65. Nice... I like baking biscuits for Christmas!
    Ciao.
    Orchidea
    www.viaggiesapori.blogspot.com

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  66. so cute! I love your little snowmen!!! and what a lovely table!

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  67. These look delicious! I'm going to have to give this a try and make animal crackers with it!

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