Author: Flaky and packed with a satisfying cheesy crunch, these homemade Goldfish crackers are the perfect anytime snack! They were always one of my favorites as a kid, and now I can make them any time with the best ingredients. They are easy to whip up and can be stored for up to a month! Make these with einkorn flour or any all-purpose wheat flour.
I’ve been selling these homemade cracker cutters for over 6 years, and the number one recipe that has been requested is my Goldfish crackers recipe! But I was never completely happy with it, so I kept tweaking and adjusting things until I got it right. Well, the day has come for me to finally share my recipe!
This recipe is so simple and easy to make, and with a goldfish cracker cutter, they look as perfect as they taste!
Homemade Goldfish Crackers
Crunchy and packed with cheesy flavor, this recipe yields about 6 cups of finished crackers. They are very rich, so they go a long way! And, even if you use white cheddar (like we do), you don’t need any food coloring, because the baking process turns these crackers a beautiful golden orange naturally!
Ingredients
With only a handful of ingredients needed, you probably have everything you need right now to make a batch of these Goldfish crackers! The full measurements for each ingredient are available in the printable recipe at the end of the post.
- Cheddar Cheese – You can use either white or yellow cheddar, but whatever you use, get a block and shred it yourself. It does add a few minutes to the prep time, but the starch and anti-mold agents that they put on the pre-shredded cheese can be avoided if you shred your own.
- Butter – Both unsalted and salted butter will work just fine in this recipe. We keep salted butter on hand, so that’s what we use, but both will work!
- Flour – All-purpose flour is called for, and we use einkorn flour in our home. Any all-purpose wheat flour will work. If using fresh milled flour or whole wheat, a bit more flour or a bit more water may be needed to get the dough to a point that it can be rolled out (and not stick to everything!).
- Salt, Garlic Powder, and Onion Powder – These three spices work together to perfectly capture the classic Goldfish cracker flavor! You can adjust to your liking, but I would recommend making it as written the first time.
NOTE: If you are tempted to add food coloring to this dough – don’t. It won’t blend in properly as there isn’t really any water in the recipe. Instead, it’s mostly cheese, so the dye will end up in spotty patches on top of the cheese rather than blending into a smooth color.
Instructions
These crackers are so easy to make, and it’s a good thing, because they seem to disappear as soon as they come out of the oven!
- Prep – Preheat your oven to 350°F and cut a piece of parchment paper to size. Set that aside for now while you make the dough.
- Mix – In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Then, drizzle in the water a little at a time while pulsing, just until the dough starts to come together a bit. It will not be a “dough”, but it will hold together when pressed.
- Chill – Take the dough out of the processor and gently press it into a disk. It will still be pretty crumbly, and that’s ok! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes. If you need to make it ahead of time, you can let it rest in the fridge for up to a day.
- Roll – When you’re ready to make the crackers, lightly flour your surface and roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. Use a goldfish cracker cutter to cut out your dough. Pierce each cracker to make the classic eye, if you want (I don’t always!).
- Bake – Place the cut pieces on the parchment paper, leaving a little space between each one. Sprinkle with sea salt at this point, if desired. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the crackers are golden and puffed. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Repeat – Start from step 4 for any remaining dough and keep baking batches until all the dough is gone.
- Store – Once they’re fully cooled, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for about a month if stored in a cool, dark place.
More Homemade Snack Recipes
If you have the bug for making your own snacks, don’t stop now! Here are a few more of our favorite homemade snack recipes for you to try next.
Homemade Goldfish Crackers
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded*
- 4 tablespoons cold butter cut into cubes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (we use einkorn flour)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- sea salt for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and cut a piece of parchment paper to size. Set that aside for now while you make the dough.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand. Then, drizzle in the water a little at a time while pulsing, just until the dough starts to come together a bit. It will not be a “dough” but it will hold together when pressed.
- Take the dough out of the processor and gently press it into a disk. It will still be pretty crumbly, and that’s ok! Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge to chill for at least 20 minutes. If you need to make it ahead of time, you can let it rest in the fridge for up to a day.
- When you’re ready to make the crackers, lightly flour your surface and roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. Use a goldfish cracker cutter to cut out your dough. Pierce each cracker to make the classic eye, if you want (I don't always!).
- Place the cut pieces on the parchment paper, leaving a little space between each one. Sprinkle with sea salt at this point, if desired. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the crackers are golden and puffed. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Start from step 4 for any remaining dough and keep baking batches until all the dough is gone.
- Once they’re fully cooled, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for about a month if stored in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Nutrition
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These are great, but I baked them for 15 minutes and rolled them out to 1/8 inch and they have a great crunch!
So glad to hear it!! <3