Crispy Cheeto Cheese Crackers (Printer-Friendly)

Cheesy, crunchy crackers combining crushed Cheetos with sharp cheddar for an irresistible party snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cheese Mixture

01 - 1 1/2 cups Cheetos, finely crushed (approximately 2 cups whole)
02 - 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
03 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - Pinch of cayenne pepper

→ Dough

07 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 2-3 tablespoons cold water

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, combine crushed Cheetos, grated cheddar, softened butter, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder until evenly distributed.
04 - Add flour mixture to cheese mixture. Stir until coarse dough forms. Gradually add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until dough just comes together. Dough should be firm but not sticky.
05 - Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness between two sheets of parchment paper. Cut into 1-inch squares or use small cookie cutter. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing slightly apart.
06 - Bake for 13-15 minutes until golden and crisp. Cool completely on wire rack before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It uses up that Cheetos dust in the most genius way, creating crackers with a flavor punch no store-bought box can match.
  • The dough comes together in minutes and bakes fast, so you go from craving to crunching in half an hour.
  • Everyone gets weirdly excited when they realize what's in them, and suddenly you're the snack hero of game night.
02 -
  • Crush the Cheetos as finely as you can, big chunks won't blend into the dough and you'll end up with uneven texture.
  • Don't add too much water or the dough will be impossible to roll and the crackers will spread and puff instead of staying crisp.
  • Let them cool completely before storing, any trapped steam will make them soggy by day two.
03 -
  • Use a food processor to crush the Cheetos if you have one, it's faster and gets them powdery without the mess.
  • If the dough feels too crumbly and won't hold together, add a tiny bit more butter instead of more water for better texture.
  • Bake one test cracker first to check your oven's timing, every oven runs a little different and these can go from golden to burnt fast.
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