Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cheese Crackers

 

I discovered this recipe last Fall and only recently got around to making them....you know how that goes!  Gluten free crackers leave a little bit be desired.  I really enjoy Crunchmaster brand.  But if you have to avoid other allergens besides gluten...it can be difficult to find tasty, crunchy crackers.   That was the whole reason this recipe peaked my interest.  I ran across it at Raia's Recipes, a fellow gluten free mom blogger.  Raia's original recipe called for corn and dairy ingredients, so I had to tweak some things, but the results were superb!  Crunchy.  Cheesy.  EASY!!  I would make these again in a heart beat...and next time I will be experimenting with less starch and more wholegrain...because that's just me...make it as healthy as possible!!  If you need some easy snackers for everyone to enjoy, these are perfect the way they are.  

What are your favorite gluten free crackers?

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup garbanzo flour, or more brown rice

1/2 cup tapioca starch (or any starch)

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons chia meal or flax meal

1/4 teaspoon guar gum (optional, I leave it out)

1/2 cup any mix solid fat: coconut oil, Earth Balance Margarine, Spectrum Shortening, or butter.  I have used various mixtures of these fats and always been happy

1 1/4 cup cup shredded Daiya cheese (I used a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar styles b/c it is what I had on hand, any cheese would work here)

1/3 cup water (or less)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the dry ingredients together.  Using a pastry blender, your hands, or a food processor, cut in the fat until crumbly (just like a pie crust).  Stir in the cheese, and then add the water, adding enough to just moisten the dough, stirring to form a ball.  I used my hands to work the dough and pull it together into a ball in the bowl.  

Using two sheets of plastic wrap, or a non-stick baking sheet like Silpat, roll 1/2 of the dough into a rough 1/8" thick rectangle.  Invert the dough onto a greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.  Cut the dough into small squares using a pizza wheel.  Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and crunchy.  

The length of time this takes greatly depends on the thickness on the dough.  If you need to bake longer....no problem!!  I actually ended up removing the cookie sheets, re-slicing the dough and gently separating the small par-baked squares and baking them for another 5 minutes to crisp them up!  Sometimes I have thicker crackers, and they take an extra 5 minutes.  They will continue to crisp as they cool and the fat solidifies again.

This recipe was shared on Hearth & Soul,  Gluten Free Wednesdays,  Lunchbox Love, Sugar Free Sundays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday,