For our next Cooking With Kids post, we decided to tackle an all-time favorite kid snack – cheese crackers. My kids can eat these by the fistful (if I let them). We made these based on their favorite type, cheddar goldfish, except in animal shapes. These are so much healthier and taster than the store-bought version. They come together surprisingly easily too! Take a look below to see how to make these delicious cheese animal crackers.
Baked Cheese Animal Crackers (makes 150)
(recipe slightly adapted from Tasty Kitchen)
– 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
– 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cute into cubes
– 1 cup flour
– 1/3 tsp kosher salt
– 2.5 tablespoons cold water
– 1″ animal cutters
Instructions:
(preheat oven to 350 degrees)
Step 1. Help your child grate the cheese with a hand grater. Add butter, flour and salt to the bowl of grated cheese. Mix well and add water. Mash around (we used a potato masher, but you can use a fork, food processor, or whatever works well for you). If the dough is too dry, add a bit more water until you get a dough that comes together.
Step 2. Gather the dough into a ball and flatten into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until slightly firm.
Step 3. Now the fun part begins. Roll the dough out between 1/4″ to 3/8″ inch thick. It’s helpful to get the disc rolled out a bit first and then have your child practice with the rolling pin to get it flatter. Cut out shapes and set aside on a parchment lined baking pan.
Step 4. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until the crackers are golden and puffed up. You’re done!
This is how they look out of the oven. They’re puffy with a soft interior but crispy on the outside. The cheddar flavor really comes out and they are addictive to eat!
They store well in a sealed container at room temperature for about a week (if they last that long).
This is a healthy baked snack you can make with the kids and a good introduction to making a dough, rolling it out and stamping shapes. The ingredients are super simple too, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make. It will be hard going back to store bought after eating these!
What are some of your favorite healthy snacks to make for kids? Here are some delicious baked snack ideas.
Take a look here for more Cooking with Kids recipes!
Agnes Hsu is a mom of three and has been inspiring parents and kids to get creative with easy activities and family friendly recipes for over 10 years. She shares her love for creative play and kids food to her 2MM+ followers online. Agnes' commitment to playful learning and kindness has not only raised funds for charity but also earned features in prestigious nationwide publications.