Next Post
Crispy BBQ Beer Battered Cauliflower Nuggets.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
Better than store-bought homemade Goldfish. Yes, yes, you can make cheesy goldfish crackers at home. It’s way easier than you think. Plus these Goldfish taste so much better than the boxed stuff, so much better…and maybe a bit cheesier too. They’re fun crackers that are extra crunchy, flaky, perfectly salted, and heavy on the (real) cheese). Every bite is roll your eyes back good. These bite-sized crackers are best enjoyed any time of day – warning – they’re rather hard to stop eating. So delicious!
Homemade Goldfish.
Yes, we are making them, and HBH family, I am so excited. These are fun! And delicious.
Of course. It’s probably not a secret at this point, but I’m really having a lot of fun making homemade versions of my favorite childhood foods. Just a couple weeks ago, I made homemade cinnamon toast crunch. Before that, it was homemade frosted brown sugar cinnamon pop tarts. Before those pop tarts I made homemade chocolate fudge pop tarts. And finally, I also made healthy homemade Samoas cookies. So yes, it’s safe to say I love making things “homemade”. And you know what…these Goldfish crackers could possibly be my favorite homemade snack yet.
Well, I take that back. Nothing can beat cinnamon toast crunch for me…that recipe will most likely be my forever favorite. But I think these Goldfish come in second. Because really, who could not love Goldfish crackers? They’re crunchy, cheesy, and perfectly salty too.
You just have to love these!
So, the inspiration…
To be honest, I made these the other week when things were at a heightened stress level for the entire world. Like so many of you, the matters of the world can weigh on me too, but the one thing I find that always brings much-needed happiness and joy? Cooking, baking, and creating new recipes for my family and friends. Food is healing too. I know first hand that stress cooking is a real thing. When I’m stressed or feeling anxious, I cook or bake something for anyone who’s willing to taste test. It’s how I show love, how I show support, and how I cope.
The other thing I tend to fall back on when anxious? Recalling childhood memories…those always make me smile. Enter this Goldfish recipe. I have countless memories eating Goldfish by the handfuls as a kid. My mom would buy either Goldfish or Cheez-It’s, whatever was on sale that week. I’d say eight times out of ten she’d buy the Cheez-It’s because they were always cheaper. But the truth? I had a soft spot for the Goldfish…even though they pretty much taste the same.
Why the soft spot? Ahh, the shape of course! And probably the sole fact that mom would buy them less, so obviously that just made me want them more.
Regardless, I loved Goldfish growing up. My brothers and I would snack on them after school and throughout the summer months. We loved them. So when I had the thought to try my hand at homemade Goldfish, I immediately ordered this cookie cutter. And well, now I have this recipe to share. I’ve been holding onto it for longer than I planned, so I’m overly excited to share.
Here are the steps…
Surprisingly, these are much easier to mix up than you might be thinking. In fact, they’re actually pretty easy. If you’ve made my homemade cinnamon toast crunch, you can certainly make these fun Goldfish crackers too.
First, the shape. If you want a true Goldfish cracker, you’ll need this cookie cutter, which comes in a set of other fish cookie cutters, or one of similar shape and size. You’d could also try this cutter, which is a single goldfish cookie cutter and not apart of a set.
If you don’t want to purchase the cookie cutter or simply just NEED to bake these today (I get that completely), just cut the dough into squares and make “Cheez-It’s” instead. Really, the shape doesn’t matter, it’s all about the cheesy cracker!
Second, the cheese. I used sharp orange cheddar cheese. If you want the true Goldfish look, use orange cheddar. If the color doesn’t matter to you, you can also use white cheddar. I recommend using a cheddar that’s aged and on the drier side. This will bake nicely.
Once you have your shape and your cheese all sorted, it’s time to mix up the dough. I like using the food processor to easily mix the dough and create the flakiest, crunchiest crackers, but you can simply use your hands as well. If you’re using your hands, you’ll want to make sure to finely grate the cheddar cheese instead of using shredded cheddar. This will give you the best consistency.
The dough is a mix of cheese, flour, paprika, onion, and garlic powder, and of course, some butter. It’s SIMPLE.
Once the dough is mixed, it’s time to roll it out, then transfer to a baking sheet, and bake! Yup, these crackers are that simple, quick, and easy to make.
And fun, and well, of course delicious. I mean, they’re cheese crackers, you know. Absolutely nothing not to love.
My little addition to these? A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top just before baking. No, it’s not what you might find on the classic Goldfish crackers from the box, but it’s so darn good.
So…do they taste like the original?
In my honest opinion, these taste better. They have flavor, real cheese, and yeah, that little addition of flaky sea salt too.
They’re flaky, extra cheesy, and have just the perfect crunch. Truly so good. And I’m warning you now, these are hard to stop eating. It’s the cheese, the crunch, and that last sprinkle of salt. You will not be able to stop…
Which is just fine. You made homemade Goldfish. Eat them all and enjoy every last one.
And with that, I’ll leave you all to it. Hoping these bring a smile to your face today. And as cheesy as this sounds…makes your tastebuds happy too!
Oh and lastly, if you feel generous, bake a double batch and gift these to your neighbor, your friend, or someone who might just enjoy a homemade cracker.
Looking for other snack recipes? Here are some oldies, but goodies…
Sweet ‘n’ Savory Roasted Nuts and Pretzels
Lastly, if you make this homemade Goldfish, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Homemade Goldfish
Servings: 70 crackers
Calories Per Serving: 36 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1-2 tablespoons cold water
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In a food processor, combine the cheese, flour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. Pulse until the cheese mixes into the flour. Add the butter and pulse until the mix clumps together to form pea-size balls. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together and forms a ball. 4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form into a ball. Divide the dough in half. Working with one section of dough at a time. Roll the dough as thin as you can, about a 1/4-inch thick. Cut into "goldfish" or cut into 1/2-inch squares. Repeat with the remaining dough.5. Carefully transfer the cut outs to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them a 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. 6. Bake 15-16 minutes, until golden. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Enjoy...by the handful.
Notes
Cookie Cutter: If you want a true Goldfish cracker, you'll need this cookie cutter, which comes in a set of other fish cookie cutters, or one of similar shape and size. You'd could also try this cutter, which is a single goldfish cookie cutter and not apart of a set.
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour.
If you don't have a Food Processor: Grate the cheese into fine shavings instead of shredding it. Then, you can use your fingers to mix the butter with the cheese/flour mix until the butter is pea sized. Slowly drizzle in the cold water as directed.
OMG. Delicious!!!
Thank you Rebecca! xTieghan
looks amazing! i had commented on this recipe before asking if it’s alright to use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper, but i can’t find my original comment. could i use foil instead? thanks!
I have been OBSESSED with your recipes since quarantine began! Basically make something of yours everyday so thank you 🙂 I wanted to make these to bring to my dad’s house for father’s day this weekend but I don’t have any onion powder (I do have actual onion and just about every other spice there is), is there anything I could substitute?
Hi Michelle,
I would just omit the onion powder. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Tieghan! These are so delicious!! I made them with my granddaughter and she loved them, my 96 year old mom loved them, and we can’t wait to make them again!
Your recipe is soooo much better than the store bought version – the cheese flavor and garlic/onion taste is wonderful!
If you make them for toddlers, as I did, you could cut down or leave out the paprika, but for both kids and adults, these are a big hit ;-)))
Love that!! Thank you so much for trying this one, Mary!! xTieghan
Just made this for a small outdoor party. It was the hit of the party! Due to Covid I placed 2 goldfish (I used 3 inch goldfish cutter) in paper cupcake holders on a tray. Delicious!
Aw so cute! I am really glad these turned out so well for you, Karen! xTieghan
Can’t say you ate the whole box if they aren’t in a box! These are so good (and addicting!) made them in a square shape and were better than cheese-it’s!
Haha YES LOVE THAT! I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe, Paige! Thank you! xTieghan
I made these half cheez-its and half with the 3″ goldfish cracker and they both came out great! Just obviously larger goldfish… but for anyone who can only find that size it works fine (same baking time). I’ll share the pic on Instagram stories!
Hi Laura! Thank you for trying these! I am really glad they turned out so well for you!! xTieghan
These taste SO GOOD!! I couldn’t stop eating them!! I have a question about the texture. They reminded me more of cheese straws instead of goldfish. Any tips on making them crunchy without overcooking??
Hi Becca,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe! I would recommend making sure they are rolled thin enough and then just extend your baking time by 1-2 minutes. I hope this helps! xTieghan
OMG SO GOOD! better than the boxed stuff! Would definitely make again! I cannot stop eating them by the handful!! I cut mine into squares/rectangles because I didn’t have a fish shaped cookie cutter, turned out great. the smaller pieces were extra crispy!
Thank you so much! I am really glad these turned out so amazing for you Samantha!! And just as good not in fishy shapes haha. xTieghan
You were right when you said “You have to make these goldfish.” I am not a goldfish fan, but I love cheese and crackers, so I went for it! I made the crackers in my food processor-I needed about 4T water (not 2) and I cut them into about 200 rectangles. I LOVE them! They puffed up as they cooked even with GF flour! So good! This recipe is a keeper!
Wow I am so glad these turned out so well for you, Mickey!! Thank you so much! xTieghan
These look amazing!! I live in the UK and can’t buy goldfish so I can’t wait to make these. What size is the cookie cutter you used? I ordered a mini fish cutter that is 1.5 inches long x .5 inch wide. It looks really tiny…do these puff up? Thank you
Hi Helen,
That size will work great! They do puff up:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
OK whaaaaat these are so fun and so cute and best of all so delicious! I had a great time making them with my little sister:) We didn’t have a fish cookie cutter so we cut them out by hand and they came out all funky and adorable!
Aw that is too sweet!! I am so glad you both enjoyed these, Anya! xTieghan
I made these today! Nice!!!! ??
Thank you Meghan! xTieghan
Hi, I can’t wait to try this! Which blade do you use on the food processor, the metal or plastic one? Also, can you use already-shredded cheese or do you recommend shredding it from a brick for freshness?
Hi Harriet,
I used a metal blade for this recipe and you can absolutely use pre-shredded cheese. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made these with my daughters today. I subbed 2oz Gouda because i didn’t have enough cheddar and they still turned out wonderful. I also used my kids play-dough cookie cutter because I didn’t have a baking one small enough. The girls approve! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you so much Laura! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan