Kicked Up Cheddar Crackers

Soup time is upon us, and some soups just scream for crackers.  If you like Cheez-It® crackers, especially the ones with Tabasco, you will like these.  Just a bit of spice from the Crushed Red Peppers adds a nice kick.  No time to cook?  No problem that is why you can buy Cheez-It®.

  2/3 Cup All Purpose Flour                                                       4 Tbl unsalted butter, chilled and

  1/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour                                                    -diced

  3/4 Tsp salt                                                                              8 Ounce Vermont Cheddar, grated

  1 Tsp Red Chili Pepper                                                            3.5 Tbl Water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and chilies. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.

Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cheese and pulse to combine.  Add 2 tablespoons of the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until combined.  Add water an additional 1/2 tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together in a ball. Pulse in additional water 1/2 tbl at a time, if needed, to get the dough to hold together.  It really well come together into a ball - look:

Line a sheet pan with non stick foil and roll the dough out to a 1/8-inch thickness directly onto a baking sheet. Using a pizza cutter trim the dough into the sizes you want.  Bake until the crackers are deep golden brown and crunchy, 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of your crackers. Take them out when the just begin to brown.  Watch the crackers carefully as they go from almost done to a little too done quite quickly. Cool completely on the pan.