Caramelized onion white cheddar cheese crackers

I tried this cheese a few months ago at trader joes, and I actually enjoyed it. I don’t consume a lot of dairy. I drink plant milk, either Chobani Extra Creamy Oat Milk or Trader Joes almond, cashew, macadamia nut milk, and I try to keep both of these on hand. I only eat a few types of cheese because like most people I’m lactose intolerant. However, I’m a sucker for a good charcuterie plate, especially as a snack. So, when I tried this cheese, I immediately wanted to incorporate it somehow. A few weeks went by until I realized an easy way to use it, cheese crackers. As I’ve previously mentioned I’m trying to be more sustainable and cut down on the amount of (unrecyclable) waste and save money so I try not to buy snacks when I’m out and about, but I really love cheez-its because they’re cheesy and salty. These caramelized onion white cheddar cheese crackers are the perfect elevated cracker for a snack or paired with some red wine salami, and figs/strawberries/pears, depending on how you cut them. These are also perfect for parties and small gatherings.

Caramelized onion white cheddar cheese crackers

½ half pound block of English cheddar with caramelized onion (available at trader joes//this should only cost like $5-7)

¼ cup butter (used Miyoko’s but you can use whatever butter and I would actually recommend using cow’s milk butter)

1 cup sprouted wheat flour (you can also use all purpose)

~1 teaspoon salt

2-3 tablespoons of cold water

Optional: a generous amount of fresh cracked pepper (highly recommend this one from Diaspora as it complements the caramelized onion very well)

Grater!

1. Grate all of the cheese in a bowl, you should have a little over a cup of cheese. Set aside.
2. In another larger bowl, mix flour and salt together (now would be the time to add the pepper if you’re adding it).
3. Cut up butter into smaller chunks and add to bowl with cheese, and mix with a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, spoon, or hands.
4. Add seasoned flour in piecewise fashion, about a ¼ cup at a time, and mix after adding each quarter cup.
5. The dough should be a little crumbly, slowly add water a tablespoon at a time and mix until dough forms into a pliable solid ball.
6. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
7. After 30 minutes, well flour a flat surface and remove dough from the fridge. Preheat oven to 375F/190C
8. There are two ways you can proceed from this point:
   1. You could cut the dough into two chunks and roll them into a 1in or 25.4mm diameter log, then slice the log into thin slices (about ¼ inch or 6mm thick), sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake for 12 minutes or until crispy.
   2. Alternatively, you could roll the dough flat, again about ¼ in or 6mm thick, cut into square or fun shapes, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake for 12-15 minutes depending on the size of the squares.
9. After baking let cool and harden, these are best fresh but can be stored for a little over a week, if they last that long!