Spicy Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ Gluten Free (Just Like “Cheese Straws”)

Spicy Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ Gluten Free (Just Like “Cheese Straws”)

Do you remember those wonderful “Cheese Straws” that were always around in abundance during the Holidays? Well, these little “Spicy Cheddar Cheese Crackers” will take you right back to your childhood! And, if you’re Gluten-Free, fear not, these are not only Gluten-Free, but are so easy to make and only require 7 ingredients (if you include water) 😉 I chose to cut my dough into leaf shapes for the Autumn season, but any shape will do (Christmas Trees, Snowmen, Wreaths, Holly Leaves, etc.) These make the perfect little Holiday Gifts 🙂
Enjoy!!!
Note: The original non-GF recipe can be found in just about every cookbook out there, but I want to give credit to Ree Drummond (aka: “The Pioneer Woman”) for her non-gf version of this recipe that I adapted to “fit” our family (please see the “Copycat Cheez-It” version for the GF and non-spicy recipe for these same crackers) 😉

  • 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 Cup GF All-Purpose Flour (I use “Caputo” brand – it makes an incredible dough to work with)
  • 4 Tbsp Salted Butter (cold and cut into small pieces)
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt (I use “Season All”)
  • 1/8-1/4 tsp Cayenned Pepper (I use 1/4 tsp for a little more “kick”)
  • 3 Tbsp Ice Water
  1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the Water, into a Food Processor and pulse until the mixture looks like “sand.”
  2. With the Food Processor running, slowly add the Ice-Cold Water, one Tbsp at a time, through the shoot until the dough forms a large ball.
  3. Wrap the Cheese dough ball in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Line 1-2 baking sheets with Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mats; set aside.
  6. Roll the dough out to 1/4″ thickness on a lightly floured surface, cut into desired shapes and place on the prepared baking sheets.
  7. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown.
    *See notes for “crisping” up crackers if they turn soft.
  8. Allow the crackers to cool completely on a wire rack to develop the flavors and desired crispness.
  9. Enjoy 🙂

*Note: if your crackers get a little soft, simply toss them onto a baking sheet and re-heat in a 275 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes. Let cool and gobble them up!

Appetizers, Hors d’Oeuvres, Snacks



Copycat Cheez-It Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ Gluten Free

Copycat Cheez-It Cheddar Cheese Crackers ~ Gluten Free

These are the yummiest Gluten-Free Cheese Crackers I have EVER tasted!!! They taste just like Cheez-It crackers! Plus, they are SO easy to make and only 6 ingredients are needed 🙂 I love them with my Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato soup…or just by themselves! A big bag of these yummy crackers would make a perfect treat for anyone.
*This recipe was adapted from a Ree Drummond (aka: “The Pioneer Woman”) recipe (“Homemade Cheddar Crackers”)…of course! Thank you SO much for sharing!

  • 2 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese (Shredded)
  • 1 Cup Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour Blend (I use Caputo brand – it’s a little more expensive, but well worth it – it performs like “regular” flour and is not gritty)
  • 4 Tbsp Salted Butter (Kept cold & cut into small pieces)
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt (I use Season-All)
  • 3 Tbsp Ice Water
  1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the Ice Water, into a Food Processor and pulse until the mixture looks like sand.
  2. With the Food Processor running, slowly add the Ice Water, one Tablespoon at a time, through the shoot until the dough forms a ball.
  3. Wrap the Cheese-dough ball in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  5. Line 1-2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
  6. Roll out the dough to 1/4″ thickness and cut into desired-size squares using a pizza cutter ~ I use a straight-edge ruler and usually cut my dough into 1″ x 1″ squares.
  7. Place the squares onto the lined baking sheets.
  8. Using the smaller end of a chop stick or wooden skewer, poke a small hole into the center of each square.
    Note: If desired, you can sprinkle the crackers with a little kosher salt at this stage, but they really do not need it 😉
  9. Bake the crackers for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown; I bake mine for the maximum amount of time since I prefer mine on the more crispy side.
  10. Allow to cool completely to fully develop the flavors and desired crispiness.
  11. Enjoy with your favorite soup, salad or all on their own 🙂
  12. Note: if your crackers get soft, simply toss them onto a baking sheet and re-heat in a 275 degree oven for about 8-10 minutes.
Appetizers, Hors d’Oeuvres, Lunch, Snacks, Soup



Chopped Salad with Barbecue Ranch Dressing

Chopped Salad with Barbecue Ranch Dressing

Oh my gosh! I could eat this salad every day! The combination of the fresh, crunchy lettuce, the salty bacon pieces and the slightly sweet BBQ Ranch Dressing is something that words just cannot accurately describe!! I am forever indebted to Ree Drummond (aka: “The Pioneer Woman”) for sharing the original recipe of this awesome salad (“Cowboy Chopped Salad”), which I have made a few minor adjustments to to make it allergy-friendly and GF for my family 🙂 Enjoy!!!

The Bacon:

  • 12-15 Slices Thick or Regular Bacon (Cooked and chopped into bite-size pieces)

The Barbecue Ranch Dressing:

  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise (I use Hellmann’s)
  • 1/2 Cup Lite or Regular Sour Cream (I use Daisy Lite Sour Cream)
  • 1/4 Cup Barbecue Sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray’s )
  • 3 Tbsp Dried Parsley
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic, chopped
  • 1 pinch Kosher Salt (to taste)
  • 1 pinch Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
  • 1/2 – 3/4 Cup Buttermilk (I make my own by pouring 1 Tbsp White Vinegar into a 1 Cup measuring cup and adding enough Whole Milk to fill the rest; gently stir and let rest for 5 minutes.)

The Salad:

  • 1 Large Head of Lettuce (I use Romaine Lettuce, but Iceburg, Green or Red Leaf Lettuce, etc. is great, too)
  • 1 Cup Grape Tomatoes (halved)
  • 1-2 Chopped Green Onions/Scallions (I use both the green and white parts)
  • 3 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • Pico de Gallo (Topping; I use store-bought once my garden has gone dormant)
  1. While the bacon is cooking, begin making the BBQ Ranch Dressing.

The BBQ Ranch Dressing:

  1. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, except for the Buttermilk.
  2. Once all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined, add the Buttermilk 1/4 cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Reserve any leftover Buttermilk in the refrigerator to add to the dressing later, as it will thicken over time.
  3. Cover and refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.

The Salad:

  1. In a very large bowl, place all of the salad ingredients, except for the Pico de Gallo, and gently toss to mix (reserve some of the Cheese and Onions for toppings).

Putting it All Together:

  1. To serve the salad, you can set up a station with the large salad bowl as center stage with the Bacon served in a side bowl (for non-bacon-eaters), as well as the Pico de Gallo and any other toppings that you want to serve separately. You can also serve the BBQ Ranch Dressing separately or sparingly toss on the salad, so individuals can add more if desired 😉
Dinner, Lunch, Main Dish, Salads, Side Dish, Snacks