Homemade Cheesy Crackers Recipe: Alternative to Goldfish Crackers!
My 3 year old used to love Goldfish crackers. Every time she asked for a snack, she would ask for Goldfish. Personally I don’t really care for them, and have often wondered why toddlers love them so much. And I finally realized why. It is because we have encouraged our children to love them by having them available in every situation of their little lives! At home, on the road, at church, at friend’s houses, at preschool….and on and on. For some reason it is the go-to snack cracker for little kids. Making your own crackers may seem daunting, but once you do it, you will realize how easy it is and how amazing ‘kids’ crackers can actually taste! This Homemade Cheesy Crackers Recipe is one of our favorite things to make together in the kitchen!
These homemade healthy snack crackers may replace our old friend Goldy……. These are packed with nutrients and are delicious! (for toddlers and adults alike) The great thing about homemade crackers is that you can change up the recipe and make them different every time. Here are a couple of ideas to try:
- Try adding different cheeses to change the flavor
- Garnish with different types of nuts or seeds (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, crushed almonds, etc)
- Try different herbs – fresh or dried – or don’t use herbs at all!
We love getting our kids involved by letting them cut out whatever shape of cracker they want. It is fun to get creative!
Bake them on parchment paper for much easier cleanup! You can fit a lot on a baking sheet and it cuts down on the time it takes to finish a batch.
We packed the whole grains into these crackers by using a combination of oats, whole wheat flour and wheat germ. These grains give you lots of fiber and B vitamins for your growing littles. We also used real cheddar cheese which adds lots of yummy flavor as well as some protein.
Your snacky little toddler won’t even know there is so much nutrition packed into each cracker. They will just love the yummy flavor and the crunchy texture. Homemade crackers are a little bit softer than your normal store-bought crackers and so I feel like they are easier for toddlers to eat.
And you can sneak some for yourself in the meantime! We like to top our crackers with different toppings and include them in our lunch! They are perfect for making a homemade lunchable!
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour, whole wheat
- 1/2 cup oats, dry
- 3 tablespoon wheat germ
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon basil, fresh
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender add whole wheat flour, rolled oats, wheat germ, salt, and basil.
- Then add the water, olive oil and cheese.
- Pulse in the food processor. The dough should come together into a ball. You can add more water or oil if the dough seems to dry.
- Roll the dough out as thin as possible on a floured surface. Cut out shapes using a knife or cookie cutter.
- Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (or silpat or parchment paper) Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes – until they start to turn golden.
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Nutrition
Natalie Monson
I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.
Learn More about Natalie
These sound great, and similar to another homemade cracker I’ve tried. My daughter loves them and I bet she’ll love these too. The problem – they go soft/ soggy when stored in a Ziploc storage bag. Any solutions for that problem?
The crackers that I made 4 days ago are still crunchy! I stored them in a ziploc. I’m not sure if it is the wheat germ in these crackers or the fact that I rolled my dough out super thin, but they really are still crunchy. If yours do go soft, you can pop them in your oven at 325 for a few minutes and it should crisp them right up. Good luck!
Thank you for posting this!! My daughter will soon be eating solids and I was wondering what I would do instead of goldfish!
Thanks for this. My daughter is always asking for crackers, but I find it almost impossible to find whole wheat crackers (ww is the 1st ingredient listed) in the store. Will have to try this.
Thank you for posting. My son loves crackers, he will choose them over anything else, even cookies. I usually by organic 100% whole wheat just so he is getting a better alternative to the goldfish one, but this is even better, because I know exactly what he is eating.
[…] Snack Crackers for Toddlers Homemade Alternative to Goldfish Crackers […]
awesome! can’t wait to try these!!
These are so adorable. Mother of 4 and preschool teacher I am remembering these!
Found a great cookbook. Thought I would share
http://5ba70di2xbvd6per2-x7cc216s.hop.clickbank.net/
I can’t wait to try these with my toddler (and her super picky Daddy!)
brilliant thank you! i love your blog and all your food ideas for kids. Becca
We need a Pinterest share button!
Wow this is really an awesome idea for children. Homemade healthy snack crackers is really good for kids because it attracts them and it also nutritious, right?You made a great job Natalie! I will also try this one.
[…] Homemade Crackers […]
My daughter and I had so much fun making these. Thank you so much for sharing this! I am excited to try some of your other great recipes. Most of my children have grown and gone but I believe in healthy eating and will use your wonderful ideas. Thank you for them!
Thanks, Natalie! I can’t wait to try these. My girls would love picking their own shapes.
[…] also been bookmarking a number of homemade cheese cracker recipes, and then a friend sent me another link this week that I decided to try. I used half whole wheat, half rice flours, and needed a little […]
Love them!!! I didn’t have cheddar cheese (I use Swiss) but they were delicious! It take some time for older kids to get used to the taste after those store bought loaded with salt. Will make them again soon 🙂
Tina – So glad you liked them! My sister made them with Swiss and said they tasted just like Cheez-it crackers. I will have to try that!
Thanks for the recipe! My kids had fun helping me make them. My 4 year old thinks they are sooo good.. My almost 2 year old gives them to the dog. lol. I used medium cheddar and I think next time I will use sharp so there is more flavor.
Heather – glad your kids like them. They are also really good with Parmesan or Swiss cheese.
[…] Healthy Kid Crackers […]
i like this because i good
These look great and I will definitely try them for my bunny cracker (Annie’s brand) obsessed two year old. However, I must note that your photo has large carrot and celery sticks. They make the photo pop, but are a choking hazard for toddlers. Perhaps diced fruit or applesauce would be a better serving suggestion. Some people are clueless and might feed their toddler the sticks unknowingly.
I would definitely store these in a tin, not plastic. They would stay crunchy… but I don’t think they’ll be lasting very long, so I won’t worry too much! 😀
[…] Cheese Crackers […]
Can these be made without cheese and would that change the recipe in any way?
I am sure it would change the flavor, and possibly the texture. I have never tried it, but would love to know how it turns out!
Can I substitute coconut flour?
I have never tried it, but would love to find out. If you try it let me know how it turns out!
I love them! My 3-year-old daughter and I made them and we give 4 thumbs up. 🙂
I featured the recipe on my blog, too. Thanks for another great recipe!
Has anyone made a similar cracker with peanut butter? My husband is lactose intolerant but looking for a healthy homemade cracker with protein. We like this recipe a lot and wonder how we can modify with peanut butter. Would love some suggestions! We aren’t very savvy in the kitchen….!
I’m going to try it this week and will let you know!
Awesome – so glad you liked them!!
These look yummy! Would it mess up the recipe if I left the wheat germ?
I don’t think it would mess it up – just give it a little bit different texture. The wheat germ gives it a bit more of a crunch and extra nutrients. I have seen a lot of cracker recipes without wheat germ though. Good luck!
Hi! Thanks for sharing this recipe. My one year loves these crackers! Have you tried to make a sweet varient? Would love to hear of any modifications you have made to this recipe. Thanks again! 🙂
So glad you liked it! I made a peanut butter cracker that is slightly sweet. This is the recipe: https://www.superhealthykids.com/blog/homemade-peanut-butter-crackers.php
is there anything I can substitute the cheese with? My youngest has a dairy allergy.
I’m not sure there is a great substitute for the cheese since it is kind of a cheese cracker – you could try leaving it out and see what happens!
Try storing in a cookie tin.
While they can be a choking hazard tehy can also be a great sourse of nutrition and raw veggies shouldn’t be removed from a child’s diet jusst because of this factor. As as long as a child is supervised and sitting while eating most toddlers should be fine with some raw veggies. My son was eating raw carrots before he was 2 and celery around 2 1/2. He is 4 and asks for ‘veggies’ prettymuch every day with his lunch.
I don’t have wheat germ. Can I use flax seed meal? Same amount you think?
I don’t have wheat germ. Can I use flax seed meal? Same amount you think?
I’m sure that would work. It may change the flavor just a bit, but I don’t think it would be noticeable enough to not try!
Great idea! I have always wanted a healthy substitute for those goldfish crackers!
I tried to pin in to pinterest, but the picture wasn’t coming up and when I tried to post it said “invalid image.”
Karlie- Not sure why that’s not pinning for you! I just pinned it (didn’t know where we put the original pin , so did it again). Anyway- you can REPIN it from here:
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/207024914094991553/
My 1 yo seems to like these crackers but no one else does 🙁 I think its because everyone is so used to the store bought junky food. I stored mine in a mason jar and they got stale after a day 🙁
by oatmeal do you mean rolled oat flakes?
or cooked oats? thanks !!
What is wheat germ and do I really need it
I was glad to see this comment with the flax seed question because I was wondering the same thing! I want to try these tomorrow and have flaxseed meal, but no wheat germ. I’m going to try substituting, same amount.
I made these today for my boys i used a mix of italian herbs and vintage cheese, my boys love them and im going to make them for their birthday party too. If i roll them out thinner i think i could use them for nachos
I live in Jordan. Not sure if they have wheat germ here. Would you happen to know what it’s called in Arabic? They have bulgur and wheat flour but I have no idea what wheat germ would be called in Arabic.
What is wheat germ? Is that easy to find?
The wheat germ is the embryo (or part that grows into a plant) of the wheat kernel that has been separated in the milling process. It has a high vitamin, mineral and protein content. You don’t have to include it in the recipe, but it does add texture, and nutritional value.
Yes – just rolled oats. Thanks for clarifying!
The wheat germ is the embryo (or part that grows into a plant) of the wheat kernel that has been separated in the milling process. It has a high vitamin, mineral and protein content. You don’t have to include it in the recipe, but it does add texture, and nutritional value. Not sure where you live, but I have found it at most of the grocery stores I shop at.
I made these this afternoon. I didn’t have wheat germ, so I substituted the same amount of flaxseed meal. They turned out great!! I still have them sitting out on the counter, even tho’ they’re plenty cooled down, and my kids keep drifting thro’ the kitchen, so I need to put them away if I want to have any left. 😉 Thanks for the great recipe!
Is it ok to store them outside the fridge with the cheese in it?
I’m not sure. Sorry!!
After reading about your question and asking a few different trusted sources, the conclusion is that yes they should be fine stored in an air-tight container. They should be ok for one week.
My baby has been eating carrots, apples and various other raw hard fruits and vegetables since she was like 8 months old. Isn’t everything a choking hazard at this point? Isn’t that why we supervise our kids at meal times?
What are the nutrition facts?
Okay, I absolutely HAVE to ask. I’m all about healthy snacks, but with a toddler running around, how in the world do you find time to make your own crackers? Do you have a nanny? Some of my mom friends and I are just trying to figure out a good balance… that doesn’t require a sitter. So seriously… how do you make crackers with a toddler running around?
Momma Bish – I’m so glad you asked! I do not have a nanny, but I wish I did! I cook A LOT. I probably make 2-3 meals or snacks from scratch on most days. I have a 5, 3 and almost 1 year old and my house does get crazy. We all spend a lot of time in the kitchen. Because cooking is such a huge part of my lifestyle, I have equipped my house to revolve around the kitchen. I have strategically placed toys, drawers and other forms of entertainment so that my kids can be occupied while I cook. They also really like to help me. Yes it takes longer and is messier, but it really is fun and hopefully we are creating memories and good habits! Making homemade crackers really doesn’t take long. The bottom line is that making things from scratch will make your kitchen messier, it will take some of your time, and it does require planning. I feel like the benefits far out way the negatives though. I feel like it helps your children learn to cook, teaches them that cooking at home is valued and important, helps to create healthy life long habits, provides more nutritious meals and snacks, creates bonding opportunities, and the list could go on. I definitely don’t make everything from scratch and do buy convenience foods occasionally! I think you have to find balance for your own family and children and do what works for you. Good luck!!
Hi, can I freeze these crackers (the cooked ones)? thank you.