These keto cheese crackers are just as delicious as the traditional store-bought kind! Nobody will believe that these are low-carb, gluten-free and grain-free.
Growing up, my favorite snack foods were Cheez-its and Goldfish. Despite my hardcore love of cheesy junk food, I only first made cheese crackers after moving to Germany.
By the way, if you love cheesy carby food like I do, try my healthy alfredo sauce. It’s grain-free and has a keto option!
I looked high and low in German grocery stores and couldn’t find them anywhere (and still can’t!) I guess that’s okay because cheese crackers are my biggest weakness. I definitely don’t need easy access to them!
Every time I make these low-carb cheese crackers, it ends badly. I only make cheese crackers for special occasions but they normally don’t even make it there.
Mr. T will typically find me after eating a tray of crackers, tell me how naughty I am, try one himself and then eat half the next pan.
Perhaps they’re so addictive due to the ridiculous amount of cheese in there. The first time I made them, I was kind of shocked. It’s a ton of cheese.
But they’re so delicious and so much healthier than store-bought so I decided I didn’t care. :)
And there’s no need to worry about the weird combination of almond and coconut flour with cheddar. All you taste is cheddar with a hint of cayenne and onion powder!
I’ve made cheese crackers before but this was the first time I’ve added cayenne pepper. Just a little goes a long way! They’re not spicy at all so if that’s what you’re going for, you’ll want to add more spice.
But I need to warn you that these keto cheese crackers may only stay super crisp on the first day. I’ve made them several times and sometimes they stay crisp for weeks and sometimes they stay crisp for one day. But even then, they’re still kind of crisp, but with a slight bit of a chew.
I always weigh everything when I bake so it’s not a measuring issue. It either has to be a slight difference in the brands of cheese I use or perhaps in humidity. I’m not really sure.
It doesn’t make the crackers any less delicious, though! And if you want to, you can always pop them back in the oven for a few minutes (6 minutes at 350 °F) to crisp them back up. :)
If you try them out, I’d love to hear what you think! If you’re in the mood for something sweet, try my coconut flour cookies or paleo chocolate chip cookies (both of which also have keto options!).
Questions about these keto cheese crackers?
- Can I use something other than almond flour?
Another nut flour might work but I don’t think they’d taste as good. As much as I love hazelnut flour, I think hazelnut flour + cheddar would be strange.
- Can I use something other than coconut flour?
Unfortunately not. Coconut flour absorbs so much more liquid than other types of flour.
- Can I use something other than onion powder / cayenne?
You can omit them or replace them with whatever you think sounds good.
- What can I use instead of an egg?
I haven’t tried making these with an egg replacer because I figured with all the cheese in there, they’re not vegan anyway. I’m not too optimistic that an egg replacer like a chia egg would work, but if someone tries, please let us know how it works!
- Do I have to use cheddar?
I’ve tried cow milk Gouda and goat Gouda. Neither were nearly as flavorful as the cheddar version. But it worked!
Keto Cheese Crackers (grain-free, gluten-free)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
Ingredients
- 2 cups (200 grams) blanched almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons coconut flour
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 large egg (50 grams, out of shell), room temperature
- 3 tablespoons (42 grams) butter
- 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces / 283 grams) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- for rolling out the dough – additional almond flour or other grain-free flour
Directions
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with an S-blade, process all the dough ingredients together. Pulse for about 15-30 seconds or until a ball forms.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, punch down, and freeze for an hour or until well-chilled (which will make rolling easier).
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Sprinkle a piece of parchment paper with almond flour (or other flour of choice), place 1/4 of the dough in the center, and place another piece of parchment paper on top. Leave the rest of the dough in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Roll the dough out to 1/16". If you roll it too thick, the crackers may not crisp up and if you roll it too thin, it'll be difficult to remove the crackers from the parchment paper.
- Use a ravioli cutter or desired cookie cutters to cut out shapes. I made mine as 1" squares. If you like things on the salty side, lightly salt the tops of the shapes.
- If you find the shapes to difficult to remove from the parchment paper, place it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Then they should pop right off.
- Remove the shapes to the prepared baking sheet, leaving just a little room (about 1/4") between the crackers, and bake for 14-17 minutes or until the edges have started to brown. They'll be soft once removed from the oven but should crisp up once cooled. If they're still not crisp after cooling, return to the oven and bake for another 4-7 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. If they lose their crispness, bake for 6 minutes at 350 °F (175 °C).
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128 comments on “Keto Cheese Crackers (grain-free, gluten-free)” — Add one!
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God bless you! I’m ordering a ravioli cutter from Amazon tonight, and will make these as soon as it comes! Cheeze-Its are my very favorite sin on keto.
I hope that you’ll enjoy them! I’d love to hear how they come out. :) I really think they’re even better than Cheez-its and I hope you will, too. :)
Hi! I love this recipe and have made these many times. I’m wondering if you have the nutrition information on them? Thanks!!
I’m so happy you liked them! :) I don’t have that info but you could use this recipe analyzer for the nutritional profile. Thanks for your comment!
Made these last year, amazing! I just started Keto again and preparing for another batch, if you’re looking for a tasty snack to curb your cracker craving this is it! However, I don’t see the nutrition facts, how many crackers in a serving and carbs, fiber, etc. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe, you nailed it!
I’m so very sorry for just now seeing your comment! It landed up in spam for some reason. :/ I’m really happy that you enjoyed the crackers! I don’t have the nutritional info but check out the comment above yours. :) Thanks for your feedback and sorry again!
this calls my name fully. I am in
Baked cheesy crackers? This is like my dream. Can’t wait to try these!
Haha. Hope you’ll enjoy them!
These look so perfect and crunchy! Love how healthy the ingredients are.
Thanks so much! :)
I have been searching for a long time to make cheese crackers for my husband. He has been a fan of “cheese-it’s” I stopped buying them for him but I am going to make this recipe it looks good.
I hope you’ll love it as much as we do! :)
What is the macro Count on these?
GIRL, YES! These ridiculous things taste EXACTLY like Cheese Nips, which I lived on in college more than a couple of decades ago. The only problem with this recipe is that they were so good, I ate waaay too many! My egg was not room temperature (no patience). I did not put the dough in the freezer for an hour (again, no patience). I used store brand cheese (nothing expensive). I cut them with a plain old knife, but I think I may try baking the dough like a pizza crust, and breaking it into crackers after it bakes. The recipe is already easy, but that would eliminate a step, making it even easier, and I think the irregular shapes would be fun. I also think I might try different cheeses and spices. Pepper jack with a little red pepper flake might work. I’ll let you know!
Haha. I know! These things are dangerous. I think I’ve made them only one time since I posted this recipe years ago because I can not handle myself around them. I will sit down and eat every single one. I hope the easier method will work well! I’m all for making things less complicated. :) Thanks a bunch for your comment! I look forward to hearing how your experiment goes.
Hi Erin….
Your blog never ceases to amaze!
Question…would a chia egg work for these crackers? My daughter is recently vegan and gluten free for health reasons and she LOVES cheese crackers. It would be so amazing to be able to surprise her with some. I’d prefer not to experiment with spendy nut flours so if you have tried to make a vegan version, please do tell ;-)
Thank you!
Hi! So sorry for the slow reply. I unfortunately haven’t tried a vegan version of these crackers. And since I haven’t tried it and don’t want you to possibly waste your ingredients + time, I wouldn’t recommend it. Are you planning on using some kind of vegan cheese? Because I’m not sure if they behave the same way in recipes like this. :( Sorry I couldn’t be more of a help!
This is a fantastic recipe. Light, crisp crackers.
So happy you liked them! thanks for your comment. :)
Thank you for a great recipe. Was measuring everything into the food processor when I realize we dont have cheddar. So this is to let you know it works well with mozzarella as well. One load was thicker then I would like, but was still delicious.
You’re welcome! And oooh. Mozzarella sounds like it’d be amazing! Thanks so much for the tip. :)
They were very good especially for grain free!!…I forgot the butter, but it didn’t seem to matter too much. I used Rumiano organic sharp white cheddar from Azure Standard which might have made them too easily over-cooked (more difficult to judge the color)…the ones that were more browned didn’t taste good at all…they needed to look like a very lightly brown sugar cookie. I ended up rolling them thicker as I went! But the thicker ones were just fine…also they were overdone at 12 minutes (the first batch) so we cut the time drastically. I’d make them again.
I’m happy that the thicker ones were tasty! :) I know it’s not a lot of butter but maybe omitting all the butter had something to do with the browned ones not tasting good. They should brown just a little (and still taste good :)) Thanks for your comment!
I don’t have a food processor but I have a ninja. Will that work?
A Ninja blender? I’ve never used one but I just googled it and it looks like it has a pulse option. If it does, I think it should work, but I can’t guarantee it since I haven’t tried it myself!
Yes the Ninja will work, however you should mix the dry ingredients together first and after they are completely mixed go ahead and add the egg, butter, and cheese. You will have to stop periodically and scrap down the edge and dredge up the flour from the bottom. After about 3 or 4 manually scraping the mixture comes together pretty well.
That’s super helpful! Thanks for taking the time to share that with us. :) Hope you enjoyed the crackers if you made them!
WOW! These came out amazing!! I’m going to have surgery and wanted some snacks for after to stay on track and these were beyond perfect! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you…errrr, I mean these! ❤️
Haha. I’m so happy you liked the crackers! I hope you have a speedy recovery from your surgery and that all goes well. :) Thanks for your comment!
Do you have to use cayenne pepper? I’m trying to stay away from all nightshades because they bother me really bad. I think I’ll try making them today without the cayenne.
You definitely don’t have to use it! Hope you’ll enjoy them. I’d love to hear how they come out. :)
I’m wondering how you might alter this recipe so that you can use Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Flour? Love the idea and want to use this new package of Paleo flour I just got at the grocery store!
I don’t really think you can use that flour as a sub like that. I’ve only tried a few recipes with it and that’s been my experience, anyway. I recommend finding recipes that already call for it! I’d hate for you to waste it on just a guess. Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you and sorry for just now seeing your comment!
Hi there – do I need to poke a hole in the center of each cracker? if so, what is the reason for that? Thanks!
Hello! No, I’m silly and just wanted to pretend I was eating Cheez-its. ;) Although I have to say that these are SO much better! I have no desire for Cheez-its anymore.
These are amazing! My family and friends that don’t eat low carb and gluten free even love them!! I just scored them with a pizza cutter, baked them on the parchment, and broke them apart when they cooled a bit.
Oooh! I need to try that. What a great time saver! Thanks for the tip. I’m so happy everyone loved them!
Oh, lord..dont waste them on the non-low-carb people. Let ’em get their own cheeze-its. These are too good.
Hahaha. I guess I would agree but Kristina is very nice to share. :)
I’m an eating obsessed Texan (Ft Worth) named Ted :). I’ve gone LCHF and was happy to come across this page. I made a batch today (subbing some chili powder for the cayenne which I didn’t have) and I have to tell you, you’ve knocked it out of the ballpark with this recipe. These make a nice change of pace from the straight almond flour cracker recipe I use from the King Arthur Flour web site. Thanks a lot.
Hi Ted! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the crackers. :) Chili powder sounds like a great sub! Thanks a bunch for your comment and I hope you find some more recipes you can try. I unfortunately have very few low-carb options. I’ve tried but I just can’t figure out low-carb sweeteners!
These crackers are AMAZING! I added salt the first batch but decided the cheese had enough saltiness to skip the extra salt for the rest. My husband and kids LOVED them! This recipe is a keeper. It’s easy and quick. I was hoping to see if they store well but they don’t last long enough in my house to even try!
Sorry I just now saw your comment! I’m happy you and your family enjoyed the crackers. I know the problem of them not lasting long enough all too well. ;) Thanks for your comment!
I forgot to mention that I didn’t have coconut flour so I just added 2tsp of almond flour instead. I also added 1/4tsp of garlic powder.
Quick question! What is the nutritional value of these crackers?
I don’t have that info but you can copy and paste the recipe here for the nutritional profile, if you’d like. :)
Best gluten free crackers I have ever eaten and what do you know? I made them myself!
Best recipe find ever.
Aww, thanks! I was so happy to read that. Thanks a bunch for your feedback! :)
These ae fabulous crackers! I skipped the chilling and just rolled 1/2 tsp balls which I flattened with a wax paper strip and cup
Sounds easier than rolling them out! Thanks for the tip. :) I’m so happy you liked them! Thanks a bunch for your comment.
If you have a dehydrator then use it on these after baking. They will never go soft! IF they have gone soft, just pop them in the dehydrator for an hour or so. Works a treat
What a great idea! Thanks for the tip. I hope you enjoyed the crackers! :)
I do not mince words when it comes to reviews, these ingredients are expensive and the recipes can be time consuming. I made a batch of these and let me tell you, you nailed it! They are absolutely fabulous. The one and only tip I would add is to sprinkle just a little bit of kosher salt on the cutouts and it tastes just like a cheezit! Thanks for sharing.
Aww, thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. :) And I’m with you on the extra salt on top! So delicious. Thanks again for your comment!
Have made these so many times in the last year! Went grain free in January 2016 and these are delicious!!! Really helps me on those days when I need something crunchy (I use them as croutons, in soups, etc)….thanks so much for the delicious recipe!
What a great use for them! Much better than just inhaling them as they come out of the oven. :D Thanks a bunch for your comment! I’m so happy that you’ve been enjoying them.
Any chance I could make these egg free? My son has an egg allergy
Thank you.
You could try using a flax or chia egg but I haven’t tried it myself. I’d love to hear how it goes if you try it out!
This may seem like a dumb question, but what does the coconut flour do? There is so little of it that I wasn’t sure of its purpose.
Thanks!
Amy
It’s not a dumb question. :) It sucks up moisture! It’s a tiny amount but it’s necessary to make the crackers crisp.
I’ve tried a number of cracker recipes without good results, these, though, were fantastic. The family devoured them.
Yay! I’m thrilled to hear that these came out well for you. :) Thanks a bunch for your comment!
Found your recipe on Pinterest and have been following a low carb diet for over 6 months. These crackers totally helped kill that cracker craving without killing my diet.
Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear that! I’m happy they killed that cracker craving for you. Thanks for your feedback!
Mine did not come out flat. They puffed up. They still taste good but don’t look as pretty as yours do. Is there a trick?
Did you make any subs or changes to the recipe at all? And did you roll the dough out to 1/16″ thick? If so, I’m not sure what the problem could have been. Were they still crisp? I’m happy they were tasty! Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you.
These crackers are REALLY good! I made them today for the first time, and I can see there will be none left till Tuesday’s dinner, when I need them for guests. Thanks for coming up with this recipe!
Haha. I always have that problem, too! I just can’t not eat them all right when I make them. They’re too addictive. ;) Thanks for your comment! I hope your guests will enjoy them if you give them another try.
There’s how to switch the almond flour to another flour? I have a peanut allergy, and sometimes, bad surprises regarding nut flours… :-(
Thanks!
This cheese crackers recipe is nut-free. :) I hope that helps!
Do you use the prepackaged shredded cheddar or do you shred your own off a block? I know there are ingredients added to the prepackaged shredded cheddar to keep the pieces from sticking together – any recommendation?
I shred my own because I don’t like the stuff they add to the pre-shredded stuff. It’s all blended together in the food processor so there shouldn’t be any issue with sticking! I hope you’ll enjoy the crackers. :)
Cheez-its! Such fond childhood memories. So happy to know that I can make them grain free now. Yum! I’d eat half the pan too, Erin. ;) Thanks for sharing, my friend. Will definitely be making and pinning these babies!
Thanks for pinning! And I hope you do get a chance to try them out. They’re so, so good!
I bet these taste wonderful! Ten thumbs up for healthier Cheeze-Itz type crackers! (yeah, I know you can’t really give ten thumbs up…but I would if I could =)
Haha. Thanks so much, Mandie! And yeah, they totally deserve all the thumbs up. :D
Mmm….what a great but dangerous idea!
I know gold fish crackers are all the rave for kid’s these days. Maybe one day I’ll have to make these crackers for my little girl to offer her a non-processed alternative ;)
Have you ever had them? I know you grew up in Germany so maybe you’ve been saved from the addiction that is cheese crackers. ;)
I can tell you right now that there is no way that I’d be able to stop myself from eating the whole pan. “Addictive” should be somewhere in the title of this recipe! :)
That’s definitely an almost certainty with these crackers. ;)
I get cravings for Cheez-its and when that happens it’s dangerous. I could easily eat the family size through the course of a day. They are just so easy to eat and that crunch….total deliciousness. However, now that I have the option to make a healthier and better ingredient cracker I think I’m going to be all over that! I love that this uses almond flour because I have a big bag of it just waiting to be used!
Same here. It’s awful. What’s even worse is that I love making peanut butter sandwiches out of them.
My hubby and son love cheese crackers. These look so perfect. I love the heart shaped ones. How cute would they be for school lunches on Valentine’s day. I actually dig that there is so much cheese in these. You should see how cheese I put on pizza. It should be illegal. lol
YES! These would make the best packed-lunch snack ever! :)
These look amazing! Do you know if there’s a substitute for the almond flour?
Almond flour is really only interchangeable with other nut flours, but I don’t think the taste would be very good here. I have a whole wheat cheese cracker version that you may want to check out. :)
I also loved Goldfish when I was a kid! Still do but I try to stick with healthier snacks ;) Your recipe looks fantastic! I cannot believe these cracker are grain free. You’re the best, Erin!!
Where did you find Goldfish in Germany?! Did you have a connection to an American army family? :)
My husband loves Goldfish, he’s actually eating some right now haha. I made whole wheat cheese crackers ones time and they were good but not like his beloved Cheesy Goldfish! I’m guessing that I’m going to be making these soon and probably will end up hiding in the corner eating a whole pan by myself too. haha
Haha. I don’t even tell my husband when I make them. I just do so quietly and let him discover the disaster himself. ;)
Wow a gluten free cheeze it! I’m so going to make these for my family soon.
I hope they’ll enjoy them! :)
I’ve never been a huge fan of storebought cheese crackers, but I love homemade ones. My kids love them all, though. I’ve found that storing completely cool crackers in a paper bag keeps them crisper longer (even though I don’t think they’d last more than a day in my house). These look great!
What a great tip! I’ll try that out next time. Thank you. :)
I absolutely love these crackers! Can’t wait to make them!
I hope you’ll enjoy them!
Your take on cheese crackers sound so much better than the store bought ones. They look absolutely amazing and I really wish to be able to just reach through the screen and get my hands on a handful of them.
Thank you! I just wish there were a way to make them DF without using weird cheese. ;)
they sound delicious
Yum, an easy and gluten-free Cheez-it – I can’t wait to make these at home and veganize them!
I’d love to see how you veganize them!
Erin,
I don’t know whether to hug you or curse you! ; p I still miss Cheetos occasionally. I finally got Miyoko Schinner’s Vegan Cheese cookbook for Christmas so once I make a batch of cheddar, this is the first thing I will make with it.
Do you buy coconut flour here in Germany or do you order it?
Carla
Oh, no. Sorry for the slow reply! You can make vegan cheddar?! Does it really taste like cheddar? Sounds good to me. :) And I get my coconut flour from Alnatura but every Bio store has it. They also sell it on Amazon!