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Homemade Gluten-Free + Vegan Cheez-Its (Allergy-Free, Grain-Free)

Name: Homemade Gluten-Free + Vegan Cheez-Its (Allergy-Free, Grain-Free)
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: Varies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 Cup Chickpea Flour; 1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast; 2 Tsp Olive Oil; 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder; 1/2 Tsp Turmeric; ¼ Tsp Onion Powder; 1/4 Tsp Paprika; 1/8 Tsp Black Pepper; ¼ Cup + 2 TB Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk (or Water)

Published: Sep 5, 2018 · Modified: Apr 13, 2019 by Rebecca Pytell · This post may contain affiliate links.

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Cheez-It crackers without the cheese? This easy and healthy copycat recipe for Homemade Gluten-Free + Vegan Cheez-Its is top 8 allergy-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and secretly protein-packed! A delicious wholesome snack parents and kids will love!

Why are "snacks for kids" just so good, so iconic, so fun? I mean, come on guys! GOLDFISH! Speaking of Goldfish, in that recipe for homemade gluten-free vegan goldfish, I mentioned that Cheez-Its always seemed like the "grown-up version" of Goldfish. No fun fishy shape (don't get me wrong, these little squares are super cute in my opinion!) and the lose of "The snack that smiles back". But don't worry, there's plenty of redeeming qualities that Cheez-Its have, especially these gluten-free, vegan, allergy-free, grain-free, protein-packed crackers! (Are you sold yet?)

Besides the obvious difference in shape and lack of smiley happy face, there's another big distinction in my mind that sets Cheez-Its apart. That sharp, deep, intense cheddar flavor. Much more prominent than the cheddar cheese flavor in Goldfish (I think that's why Cheez-Its are a darker, more orangey color). Of course, these homemade copycat Cheez-Its are vegan and thus, dairy-free. How are we going to master this intense cheddar flavor?

How are these Cheez-It crackers healthy?

I took the same Goldfish recipe and just tweaked the ingredients and baking process ever-so slightly. These yummy protein-packed squares are still made grain-free with chickpea flour, but the nutritional yeast is increased (amp that cheesy flavor!), and the paprika and black pepper become essential to round out the more intense cheddar flavor.

Are homemade Cheez-Its easy to make?

Yes! These are actually a step or two easier than the homemade Goldfish! You don't need a fish shaped cutter, nor do you need to make all those eyes and smiles! You just need to take a pizza cutter (or sharp knife) to make the squares out of the dough and then just use a toothpick to make a hole right in the center! A quick 10 minutes bake in the oven (get that Silpat out!) and you're moments away from your family's new favorite snack!

Are these crackers for kids? Adults? Teens?

These homemade gluten-free + vegan Cheez-Its are for EVERYONE! From little hands, to hungry teens, to even you! The bright and beaming reader looking for a wholesome and delicious snack that won't wreak your health goals! So whether you pack them in your kid's lunchboxes, your own lunch bag, have them ready to grab in a container when hungry people start grazing the kitchen, they'll work for any situation!

These are super easy to make-ahead and have on hand for the week as your go-to snack option. Make a big batch of small batch, it's up to you (but I think you'll need to double up on this one!) I guess these homemade Cheez-Its just prove that fun snacks aren't just for the kids 😉