These crispy Homemade Pumpkin Cheddar Crackers are a delicious and healthier twist on the classic Cheez-It crackers! They are made with extra-sharp cheddar cheese and pumpkin puree for a festive snack.
Why You Will Love These Pumpkin Cheddar Crackers
- Taste. Buttery (but not greasy), cheesy and addictively delicious!
- So easy to make. You only need 5 ingredients (paprika is optional) and the dough comes together in minutes, with the help of a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, no sweat. I've included notes on how to make these pumpkin crackers with an electric mixer below.
- Pumpkin. Pumpkin is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. It's a great way to sneak in extra veggies, especially for the kids.
- Perfect for a crowd. These homemade cheese crackers are great for gatherings, potlucks and for your next game day get-together. For more party snacks, try my Fried Pickle Dip or Fried Goat Cheese Balls.
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Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes about all the ingredients used in these Cheddar Pumpkin Crackers. Quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card below!
- Flour - We're keeping this cracker recipe simple with all-purpose flour.
- Cheddar Cheese - I'm using extra-sharp cheese, but you could use any kind of cheddar. I also recommend shredding the cheese yourself rather than using pre-shredded cheese, as it often contains anti-caking agents.
- Butter - Adds flavor. You can use salted or unsalted butter
- Pure Pumpkin Puree - Adds a bit of earthiness to the crackers. Pumpkin also works well with cheddar cheese.
- Cornstarch - Helps make the crackers crispy as cornstarch inhibits gluten development.
- Paprika (optional) - Totally optional, but adds a bit of flavor.
- Flaky Sea Salt (optional) - I like to sprinkle a bit of flaky sea salt right on top of the crackers right before baking. However, feel free to add up to ¼ teaspoon (or to taste) of fine salt to the dough, instead.
*See recipe card for quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make these Pumpkin Cheddar Crackers! Please find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Make the Cheddar Pumpkin Dough - In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the 'S' blade, add flour, shredded cheddar cheese, cubed butter (cold), cornstarch and paprika.
Step 2. Pulse Ingredients Together - Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
TIP: If you do not have a food processor, you can use a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitter with a paddle attachment. Make sure your cheese is finely shredded and that the butter is slightly softened. Start by mixing together the cheese and butter until combined. Add flour, cornstarch and paprika (if using) and mix until crumbly. Then add the pumpkin puree and mix until just combined. Proceed as written.
Step 3. Combine the Pumpkin - Add pumpkin puree to the mixture.
Step 4. Pulse just until the mixture starts to clump together. About 10 pulses. Do not overmix.
Step 5. Chill the Dough - Gather the dough together and divide into 2 equal pieces. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes or up to 3 days in the fridge.
Step 6. Roll out to 1/16 Inch Thickness - Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll the dough out as thin as you can. The thinner the crackers, the crispier they'll be.
Step 7. Cut into 1-Inch Squares - With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut out 1 inch squares. You can use a ruler or eyeball it like I did. I was able to cut out 80 squares.
Step 8. Cut out Holes - Cut out a hole in the center of each cracker square. I used the end of a small round piping tip. You can also use the end of a chopstick or skewer.
Step 9. With a floured, thin offset spatula, transfer the squares onto 2 large baking sheets, lined with parchment paper. Each piece of dough yielded about 80 crackers for me, making a total of 160.
Step 10. Bake the Pumpkin Crackers - Lightly salt the crackers with flakey sea salt and bake in a preheated oven at 325ºF (162ºC) for 16 to 19 minutes. Cool completely and enjoy!
Substitutions
- Butter - You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Pure Pumpkin Puree - You can replace with sweet potato puree, butternut squash puree, Greek Yogurt or 2 tablespoons of ice water.
- Paprika (optional)- Adds a bit of flavor, but you can omit it if you don't have any on-hand.
- Flaky Sea Salt (optional) - I like to sprinkle a bit of flaky sea salt right on top of the crackers right before baking. However, feel free to add up to ¼ teaspoon (or to taste) of fine salt to the dough, instead.
Variations
- Add Herbs - You can add chives, rosemary, sage or Italian Seasoning.
- Add Spices - For a different flavor profile, you can add garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or taco seasoning.
- Other Cheeses - You can experiment with other cheeses like, parmesan, mozzarella, gouda, smoked gouda, pepperjack, fontina, asiago or a combination.
- Different Shapes - You can cut these cheese crackers into any shapes with the help of fun cookie cutters. Perfect to get the kids involved.
- Make it Gluten-Free - You can use a 1 to 1 cup gluten-free flour blend.
Storage
- Room Temperature - Baked crackers will stay crispy for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight glass container.
- Refrigerator - After the dough is made, you can store in the fridge for up 3 days.
- Freezer - After the crackers are cut, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Freeze on the baking sheet in a single layer until completely frozen. Transfer to freezer bags and bake from frozen.
Expert Tips
Use a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients. Baking in grams rather than in volume, is the best and most accurate way to bake! All my recipes include gram conversions based on King Arthur's Weight Chart.
Roll the dough out as thin as you can. The thinner the crackers are, the crisper they will be.
Use pure pumpkin puree. Pure pumpkin puree can be confused with pumpkin pie filling, which contains sugar and spices.
Bake one sheet at a time. For even cooking and browning, I recommend baking the crackers one baking sheet at a time. You can place the other one in the fridge in the meantime.
The longer you bake, the crisper the crackers will be. Just keep an eye on them, as they can brown quickly.
The crackers will become crisp up more as they cool down completely. If you eat the crackers warm, they won't be super crispy. They take about 20 minutes to cool completely.
FAQ
There's a nice subtle hint of pumpkin flavor. However, if you are making these for the kids, they won't taste it at all. It's a great way to sneak in more veggie.
Yes, you can replace the pumpkin with sweet potato puree, butternut squash puree, Greek yogurt or 2 tablespoons of ice water.
You certainly can! You can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer. Make sure your cheese is finely shredded and that the butter is slightly softened. Start by mixing together the cheese and butter until combined. Add flour, cornstarch and paprika (if using) and mix until crumbly. Then add the pumpkin puree and mix until just combined. Proceed as written.
The process of docking or creating holes is to help steam escape the crackers during the baking process so they can bake up flat.
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Pumpkin Cheddar Crackers
INGREDIENTS
- ⅔ Cup (80g) All-Purpose Flour
- 4 Ounces (113g) Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) Unsalted Butter cold
- 2 Teaspoons Cornstarch
- ¼ Teaspoon Paprika (optional)
- ¼ Cup (56g) Pure Pumpkin Puree
- Flaky Sea Salt, for the top (optional)
Instructions
- Make the Pumpkin Cheddar Dough - In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the 'S' blade, add flour, shredded cheddar cheese, cubed butter, cornstarch and paprika. Pulse the ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Then add pumpkin puree and pulse just until the mixture starts to clump together. About 10 pulses. Do not overmix. ⅔ Cup (80g) All-Purpose Flour4 Ounces (113g) Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese2 Tablespoons (28g) Unsalted Butter2 Teaspoons Cornstarch¼ Teaspoon Paprika (optional)¼ Cup (56g) Pure Pumpkin Puree
- Chill the Dough - Gather the dough together. Divide into 2 equal pieces and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for 30 minutes or up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 325ºF (162ºC). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll out to 1/16 Inch (1.5 MM) Thickness - Place a piece of dough on top of a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out as even and as thin as you can. If it gets sticky at any point, you can lightly add more flour. Keep in mind, the thinner the crackers, the crispier they'll be.
- Cut into 1-Inch (2.5 CM) Squares - Dip a pizza cutter or sharp knife with flour and cut out 1 inch squares. You can use a ruler or eyeball it like I did. I was able to cut out 80 squares.
- Cut out Holes - Cut out a hole in the center of each cracker square. I used the end of a small round piping tip. You can also use the end of a chopstick or skewer.
- With a thin offset spatula, transfer the squares onto your prepared baking sheets. It's helpful to dip the offset spatula in flour to help lift the squares off the parchment paper as your transferring. Continue with the other piece of dough. Each piece of dough yielded about 80 crackers per baking sheet, making a total of 160 crackers.
- Bake the Crackers - Optionally, lightly salt the tops of the crackers with flakey sea salt. Bake one sheet at a time for 16 to 19 minutes, making sure to rotate half way through. Cool completely on a wire rack and enjoy!
Notes
Vale says
Hi there! This looks an amazing recipe to try!
I was thinking to swap the all-purpose with whole-wheat.
Have you tried it? Would you recommend it?
Lisa says
Hi Vale! I haven't tried making these with whole-wheat flour, but you certainly can. Please let me know how it turns out for you!😊