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!
We made these and the kids loved them! However, we put them in an airtight Tupperware container and the next day, they went to grab some and they were soggy already. Any tips on how to keep them crispy? Great recipe though!
Hi Rachel, I have been there and there is nothing more frustrating. This is the downside to not adding the standard preservatives and additives in commercially made snacks. Some of that long list of ingredients are purely there to keep them crispy and “fresh.” I have not made this recipe myself; however, I do have ample experience trying to keep crispy things from softening in a moist Summer restaurant kitchen!
The first is to ensure they are completely cool before storing and there is not a hint of moisture in the air-tight container. This is often not enough for items that retain moisture during cooking like crackers. You can either cook them longer at a low temperature or use a dehydrator to evaporate that residual moisture that would otherwise soften them during storage. If you think back to the last time you had a goldfish from the package, you’ll recall that they are very dry and hollow and puffy. This low moisture content allows them to be stored for longer.
Your last, and most effective option, is to store them with a food grade silica packet in that airtight container. Be sure to choose one that is a food grade disiccant. I always used ones that changed colors, so I knew when to change them out. This is the ONLY way I could get meringues to stay crunchy in the Summer in a humid restaurant basement!
You can also recrisp those sad goldfish in a warm oven (~200 degrees F) and then cool and store! ~Lindsey
Do you know how long will it last if you store it in the fridge in an airtight container?
Hi Danielle! If they’re fully cooled and stored in an airtight container, they’ll last at room temperature for up to 1 week. That said, if you pop them in the fridge instead, they’ll still hold up, but they may lose a bit of their crispness over time. Enjoy! ~gvd team
I’m always gonna make them homemade now!!!
These turned out unbelievable!!!
Hi Ttmama! I’m so happy to hear you loved these! Thanks for coming back to rate and comment! ~gvd team
Can someone please tell me if the recipe is actually good and give me an honest answer, bc I find myself making things like Gold Fish gummy bears, you know, just basic snake food, and it turns out disgusting, so I don’t know if I’m on the right recipe or not
Hi Sophia! I’m on the gvd team and I’ve tried this one personally, and it’s actually delicious. But, don’t take my word for it, you can also peruse the other comments and see how other home-bakers felt about it! Happy snacking! ~gvd team
Is it 1/4 and 4 tablespoons butter or just a 1/4 cup?
Hi Anna! Sorry about that formatting, we just updated our recipe plugin so I can see the confusion! I went in there and made it clearer, but it’s a 1/4 cup of butter. Enjoy! ~gvd team
I don’t have a food processor. Can I still make the goldfish without one?
Hi Bevy! You can definitely make these without a food processor, it will just take a little more time. Prep your ingredients as said in the list (shred the cheese, cube the butter, etc). Combine your dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, using a pastry cutter or 2 knives cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse sand. Drizzle in the cold water and use a fork or your hands until it just comes together. Then follow the rest of the recipe as written! Can’t wait for you to try these, let me know how it goes! ~gvd team
These were great and so easy to make, thank you for this recipe. The first batch i made exactly to the recipe and I didn’t feel they were crispy enough. Second batch I rolled them out thinner and increased the oven temp to 375 and I kept watch from the 8 minute mark to make sure they didn’t burn. 13 minute was when I took them out and they had more of a crisp Ithar am use to. My grandson loves them.
Hi Judith! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let us know you loved this one, we’re so happy your grandson is a fan! ~gvd team
I’m excited to try these! Could I cute these into small squares instead of buying a goldfish mold? I don’t think my kids will care either way about the shape, but also want to keep it a little simpler, which means, I’m more likely to make things homemade 🙂
Thanks in advance!
Haha! I am the new owner and as the mother of a toddler, I had the exact same thought! It’s been on my list to try it out. I say, “go for it”! Then they would kind of look like cheez-its right? I would give them a poke with a toothpick or cake tester to keep them from puffing uncontrollably. You can buy a roller for docking dough, which will make that step even easier! Be sure to come back and report if you try it, I promise to do the same if I try it first! ~Chef Lindsey
Have you ever froze the dough after you cut them into their shapes?
Hi Haley! Yes, I’ve actually done that! Just make sure for the initial freezing they aren’t touching. Freezing helped me get a more even bake even! ~gvd team
I’m about to make my third batch for my grandchildren. This is a much healthier version of the snack they love and SO EASY to make.
Thank you!
Hi Anne! We’re so happy you’re sharing these with the grandkids and that they love them! Thanks for coming back to rate and comment, always makes our day to hear from you! ~gvd team