Copycat Gluten Free Cheez-Its Cheese Crackers (Vegan, Paleo & Low Fodmap)

Gutsy Baker
Dec 22, 2020
4 min read

Updated: Jan 14, 2024

I AM HAVING A PROUD MOMENT. Because I made keto friendly, vegan and paleo copycat Cheez Its, you know the iconic cheese crackers. AND THEY TASTE JUST LIKE ORIGINALS. I couldn’t believe it when I tasted them out of the oven! I made my version with my paleo flour blend, vegan cheddar cheese and dairy free butter -- but any flour, shredded cheese and butter works here. The recipe is customizable to your diet and what you have on hand. And they are just 4 ingredients (including salt)! They're the perfect gluten free snack.

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WHY YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY MAKE THESE GLUTEN FREE CHEEZ-ITS CRACKERS

These gluten free Cheez its cheese crackers are made with only 4 ingredients. You just need shredded cheddar cheese alternative, paleo or GF flour, dairy-free butter, and salt. Oh and a rolling pin and the skills to cut out little squares! You can also make these Cheez Its with real butter, shredded cheese and flour of choice and they'll come out great. It's easy substituting here, it's more about proportions.

These taste just like the cheese crackers we all know and love.
So easy to make.
The whole family will enjoy making and eating these delicious crunchy cheese crackers!

These copycat Cheez-Its are paleo, vegan, low fodmap and keto friendly!

And they are amazing! It depends on what flour you use and what cheese you decide to use (real vs vegan), but these actually will qualify for keto as well. They're very low carb. I have made these with all types of flours and cheeses and they always come out crunchy and delicious.

INGREDIENTS IN GLUTEN FREE COPYCAT CHEEZ-IT CRACKERS:

My paleo flour blend: This my perfect flour blend for a 1:1 paleo baking substitute for any all purpose flour. It’s a blend of almond flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour and arrowroot starch. One cup is 1/2 cup of almond, 1/4 cup of arrowroot, 1/8 cup each of tapioca and coconut. You can also use a gluten free all purpose baking flour like Bob Red Mill 1:1.

Shredded Vegan Cheddar Flavor Cheese: I have used Violife brand for these and they came out great, I also like Miyoko's shredded for clean brand. Daiya will work too. Or if you eat dairy, just straight up shredded cheddar!

Non-dairy butter: I have used Earth Balance and Miyoko’s and they both worked well. Or you can use real butter but I’d stick with grass fed

Coarse Sea Salt: Remember the unsalted ones in the blue box? Awful. We need salt!

Ice Water: Gives it more moisture and the cold water binds the dough

FAQS

Are these Paleo and Vegan Cheez-Its easy to make?

Yes! They only have 4 main ingredients. One bowl. SO easy. I make the dough, roll it out and cut it into squares. Poke little holes in the centers (to make them official), sprinkle with coarse sea salt and bake for 20 minutes!

What do I need to make these copycat Cheez-Its?

I recommend a food processor to get a nice smooth dough. If you do not have a food processor, you can smash the cheddar shreds with the back of a fork so they're smashed into tiny pieces, or you can try to beat the dough as well with a hand mixer. You will also need a sharp edge to cut out your little squares.

My cheese crackers are burning before they finish cooking!

Sometimes if they are rolled too thin or rolled uneven, they will cook faster than others in the oven and may burn. If you notice them getting too crispy, turn the oven down to 350F. Also, keep an eye on the crackers and remove the thinner ones from the oven first, keep the thicker ones in the oven to finish cooking.

Other ways to customize gluten free cheese crackers:

Add a pinch of cayenne to the dough to add a little kick! Or brush with olive oil after baking and sprinkle with a taco seasoning or a pizza blend for a little spice.
Add a seasoned cheese blend into the dough for a different flavor.
Top with other dried spices such as thyme, rosemary or oregano!

Other recipe notes to make the perfect cheese crackers:

My paleo flour blend: One cup of flour is 1/2 cup of almond flour, 1/4 cup of arrowroot starch/flour, 1/8 cup each of tapioca starch and coconut flour. You can also use a gluten free all purpose baking flour.
You can use real dairy here in substitution of the vegan butter and cheese
Try to roll out and cut the squares evenly so they bake evenly. You may need to take some out of the oven if they are browning sooner than others, and put the rest back in as they are done.
The paleo version will bake faster because of the fat content, make sure to keep an eye on them to avoid burning.
If you feel the Cheez-its are cooking too quickly and may burn, turn the oven down to 350F. Bake times depend on the brand of cheese and butter you use.
For a thicker crunch, you can freeze the squares on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking and transfer right to the freezer to the oven.