Homemade Cheez-it Party Mix - Cherry on my Sundae (2024)

Skip the store and make your own Cheez-It party mix! Homemade cheddar cheese crackers are tossed with pretzels, wheat chex, oyster crackers, and the most addicting spice mix.

Watch how to make this

Ingredients

• Flour: To make the crackers slightly healthier and heartier, we're using a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour. You can substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose instead if you prefer.
• Sharp cheddar cheese: For the distinctive cheese flavor, use sharp cheddar cheese, not mild. You can purchase a block of sharp cheddar cheese and shred it by hand.
• Party mix: You can use any variety of crackers but I stuck with the original mix and included pretzels, corn chex, and oyster crackers. Just be sure to keep the amounts the same as listed in the recipe.
• Lawry's seasoned salt: A savory spice blend of paprika, celery, turmeric, garlic, salt, and other spices.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make cheez-it dough

Who would have thought Cheez-Its only consisted of 6 ingredients? Yes, it's that easy!

For the type of cheese, I stuck with sharp cheddar cheese since I wanted to make the original Cheez-Its. If you want to recreate one of their other varieties, explore different cheeses. Try Swiss, Colby, mozzarella, white cheddar, or cheddar jack for different options (yes those are all real flavors sold!).

A food processor is a great tool when making the dough; however, you can also use a pastry cutter or your hands. The key to making the dough correctly is using ice water. You want the dough to remain chilled to prevent the butter from melting. Why? The tiny pieces of cold butter will melt while baking, creating little pockets of crispy Cheez-Its.

Step 2: Cut and shape crackers

The dough itself is easy to make, it's the rolling and cutting part that becomes tedious. You want to make sure the crackers are 1/16-inch thin or they'll be too dense.

This recipe makes approximately 100 cheez-its, which means you have to cut 100 squares and pierce each one. Unfortunately, I do not have a fluted pastry cutter so my Cheez-Its didn't look exactly like the store-bought versions. But it's the taste that counts!

Unlike the store-bought Cheez-Its, these will puff up in the oven. Let them cool before mixing them with the other crackers and seasoning.

Since the seasoning mix already has salt, skip salting the cheez-its when they are finished baking.

In all honesty, the Cheez-Its themselves did not taste exactly like the store-bought versions. They are a bit more buttery but that's not necessarily a bad thing!

Step 3: Complete the party mix

Now that we have the base ready, it's time to toss together all the crackers. You can be creative with your party mix but I stuck to pretzels, wheat Chex, and oyster crackers.

The seasoning for the party mix is a little spicy with a bit of zest. Toss it all together and pop it in the microwave for a few minutes, stirring every minute. Then, let the crackers cool and dig in!

I have to say, this Cheez-it party mix is very addicting. Sure it makes a large batch, but you're going to need the entire lot, especially if you're making these for a party. I can sit here and munch on these for hours...which I guess isn't saying much since I have had those tendencies before. Nevertheless, I urge you to give these a try, with or without homemade Cheez-its!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: The cheez-its can be prepared the day before and tossed with the party mix the following day.
• Store: Store the crackers in an airtight container in a dry, cool area and it should last for 1 week.

Frequently asked questions

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