Cheese Crackers

I found a new cookbook that I think I'm going to need to own soon. It's going on my Christmas wish list. It's called The Homemade Pantry:101 foods you can stop buying and start making.

Here is one of the recipes we've tried. They're a grown-up version of Cheez-it crackers and are so crunchy and addictive, ask Tyler.

Cheese Crackers

Makes 40-50 crackers

3 Tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for the counter

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups finely grated cheddar cheese (6 ounces)

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

3/4 cup water

ice cube

Combine the cold butter, flour, dry mustard, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed with the paddle attachment until the mixture is crumbly and the butter starts to integrate into the mixture, about 30 seconds. Add the cheese and mix again on low speed for a few seconds.

In a liquid measuring cup, combine 3/4 cup water, the vinegar and an ice cube and let sit for a moment to get nice and cold. Add 6 tablespoons of the vinegar mixture to the dough and mix on medium speed for 20 seconds. Continue adding liquid, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough clings in a ball to the beater. (I only needed one extra tablespoon of liquid for a total of 7 tablespoons) Mix the dough for an additional 30 seconds. Don't over mix! Mound dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit 15 minutes before you are ready to roll it out. Preheat oven to 325 and grease 2 baking sheets. Turn dough out onto a little floured counter, press into a flat disc, and roll with a rolling pin until the dough is 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Use a pizza wheel to cut dough into 2-inch squares (I went a little smaller). Transfer to baking sheet leaving a 1-inch space between crackers. Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Turn off oven, but leave pans in the oven for one hour as it cools. (I left them in for only 20 minutes because they continued browning too much for my liking.) They can be stored in an airtight container for 5-7 days.....ours only lasted on the counter for maybe 6 hours before they were all consumed. :)