Ever get a snack attack but want something more than the typical fare? These homemade goldfish crackers will fit the bill. Exceedingly flaky, flavorful and heckin’ cheesy, once you give this elevated version of the snack favorite a try, you might not want to ever by the bag from the store again. You’ve been warned!
Welcome to The Snack Series!
Hello and happy 2023! My, what a year 2022 has been. I am not one for resolutions, but I can’t help but reflect on the past year around this time and all that has happened/all that has been learned/all that is worth celebrating and all that worth letting go of. I hope that you can look back on 2022 with some level of fondness, and if not, that 2023 is your redeeming year. I feel like it’s gonna be a good one.
That said, I’m kicking off the new year with a fun new series on the blog called The Snack Series! Every week this month (January), I’ll share a new recipe for a homemade version of a classic snack. I was inspired to do this series by the Snack Vs. Chef show on Netflix, which I watched with my family all last month. We had so much fun watching it together and it made me want to make all the snacks! So, here we are.
All the snacks in this series will be considered an “elevated” version of the original, so don’t expect complete dupes. Instead, this is what you’d want the food to be if you were eating it at, say, a restaurant or a bakery. We’re going for gourmet, while still keeping it fun and unfussy, per us.
Homemade Goldfish Crackers Recipe
I’m kicking off The Snack Series today with homemade goldfish crackers, aka the fancy cousin to the bag-at-the-store version. These goldfish are incredibly delicious — so delicious, in fact, that we scarfed up a whole 14 dozen of them in one day. That’s gotta be some kind of record. Here’s what you can expect from this recipe:
- Flaky, buttery crackers made from scratch
- Ultra-cheesy flavor in every bite
- A fancy-yet-unfussy version of your favorite savory snack
- A new addition to lunch boxes, snack packs, cheese boards, etc.
Ingredients for Homemade Goldfish Crackers
The ingredient list for these lil’ fishes that are so delicious is really simple and straightforward, as we want just a few flavors to really shine. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Sharp cheddar cheese (HIGHLY recommend buying a block and shredding it yourself; see my Notes in the recipe below)
- Unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- All-purpose flour
- Salt, garlic powder and onion powder, for flavor
- Cold water, to bind the ingredients
- Flaky sea salt, to finish (optional, but I love the added salty crunch it provides!)
How to Make Homemade Goldfish Crackers
If you’ve never made homemade crackers before, it will blow your mind how easy it is to do. You’re basically making a flaky pastry dough, cutting it into shapes and baking. As always, please scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL recipe, but here’s the basic rundown:
- Step One: Pulse the dry ingredients. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together cheese, butter, flour, salt, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Step Two: Form the dough. Pulse in cold water just until a dough comes together, then wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge.
- Step Three: Shape and bake. Roll out the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a goldfish cookie cutter or other small cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the dough. Place the crackers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake until puffed and golden.
Can I Make These Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can make the dough and refrigerate it up to 24 hours before you plan to bake it. I have a hunch you can also freeze the dough (and let it thaw in the fridge overnight before using), but I have not tested this, so I can’t say with 100% confidence that it works. If you try it, let me know the results!
Can I Use a Different Kind of Cheese?
Yes, you can. I would recommend using another kind of semi-hard cheese, such as white cheddar, mild cheddar, Gouda or Havarti, or a combination of cheeses.
More Snack Recipes!
- 5 Ingredient Cheese Straws
- Homemade Fruit and Nut Crisps
- Apple Peanut Butter Granola Bars
- Slow Cooker Mexican Grilled Corn Dip
- Moroccan Spiced Nuts
Homemade Goldfish Crackers
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded*
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- flaky sea salt, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together cheese, butter, flour, salt, garlic powder and onion powder until mixture resembles coarse sand. Drizzle in water while pulsing the food processor just until a dough comes together.
- Remove dough from food processor; press and roll into a disk shape, then cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill dough for at least 20 minutes (up to 1 day).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a goldfish cracker cookie cutter or other small cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes. Poke each cracker once with a toothpick to form the “eye” and also keep crackers from puffing too much in the oven. Reroll scraps once, if needed, to make more crackers.
- Place crackers at least 1/2-inch apart on prepared baking sheet (you may need to bake in batches). Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes or until crackers are puffed and golden. Cool completely on baking sheet.
- Store fully cooled leftover crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- *I highly recommend using a block of cheese and shredding it yourself rather than using the pre-shredded variety, which has extra anti-caking agents mixed in (thereby making your crackers a little gummy).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Love these so much! My kids eat them up and love helping to make them. We put in tomato bullion in them too! They taste better than pizza goldfish!
Hi Danica! I love hearing that your kids not only eat them up but also help make them, that truly the best combo. And tomato bouillon?! Genius! I’m inspired to try it myself! ~gvd team
I can’t wait to try this recipe can I use unenriched whole wheat flour instead of all purpose? Thanks!
Hi Kassandra! You can swap in unenriched whole wheat flour, but just know that the crackers will be a bit denser and nuttier in flavor, and they won’t puff quite as much in the oven. If you want a balance, you could try replacing half the all-purpose with whole wheat so you still get some of that light, crisp texture. Happy baking! ~gvd team
Hello!
Just a heads up you can use a stand alone mixer. Just have to use the paddle attachment. Put on high speed to crumble mixture. It will shoot out a bit so cover it up. Works great. Thanks for recipe ?
Hi. Will this recipe work mixing everything by hand if you don’t have a food processor?
Hi Kim! Yes, you can mix by hand. Just work the butter, cheese, flour, and seasonings together until the mixture resembles coarse sand, then add the water and mix until a dough forms. Keep everything cold for best flakiness! ~gvd team
do you keep these in the fridge after they are made or do they need to be eaten asap? if so, how
long are they good in the fridge for?
Hi Amanda! These actually store best at room temperature, not in the fridge; cold storage can make them lose their crispness. Store fully cooled leftover crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Hope that helps, and happy snacking! ~gvd team
Hi! Can the baked gold fish be frozen to keep their crispiness?
Hi Marla! I personally haven’t tested freezing the baked crackers yet, but generally, baked crackers like these don’t stay crispy after freezing unless they’re reheated. If you’d like to try it, I recommend freezing them in a single layer in an airtight container, then reheating at 300°F for 5–7 minutes to bring back the crisp. As Stephanie mentioned in the post, freezing the dough is probably your better bet for best texture. Let me know what works for you if you give it a try! Happy baking! ~gvd team
I make this on repeat for my grandchildren. These are very good and I know that it’s much healthier than the processed version.
Anne
Hi Anne! Aw, I’m so happy you do that for them! Thanks taking the time to leave a rating and comment, means a lot! ~gvd team