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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!
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.
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.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
I just made the gold fish crackers. I made a test batch and glad I did bc they were very thin too thin. I then made another batch thicker and they are good but tiny. I guess I didn’t realize how tiny these crackers are. I bought a double fish mold from Amazon. I then did a batch as “crackers” and they really shrunk down but still good. I’d make them again but maybe for a special occasion.
Thanks for sharing!
Hey Trisha,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
The cutter you linked is huge… happy to find this one, and excited to try this recipe.
Mini Goldfish Cookie Cutter 1 Inch – Hand Made in the USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0917X4NLK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_i_KTQ26KWPV0XD293QJ0RY
I hope you love the recipe Lori!!
These crackers are so yummy! Did a test run before I make a batch for a Christmas goodie bag. They are going to be perfect!
Hey Ashly,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delish! I made them twice. First time with the sharp cheddar and second with mild cheddar (bought by mistake). Found that sharp tastes more like Cheezits and mild more like goldfish.
Hi Ellen!Thanks for trying out this recipe, so glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
These were outstanding — so crisp and fresh, and that little hint of onion and garlic is wonderful. And then there’s how great they made the house smell! Fabulous crackers! I’ll be making these regularly and eating too many every time.
Hey Beth,
Happy Labor Day!?? Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
These goldfish were delicious. You are right they taste much much better than regular goldfish. I made them with my three-year-old granddaughter and it was a big hit. Now I just need a great tomato soup recipe and I’ll make some bigger fish and homemade soup. Thank you
Hey Ruthann,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! ☀️xTieghan
I did enjoy these. I needed to use my cookie press because the dough was a bit too sticky to roll out. Even with that they turned out very Good. Looking forward to trying it the 2nd time.
Thank you
Hey there,
Fantastic! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Curious about the calories – is it 35 calories per serving or per 70? If per serving, how many are in a serving? I was browsing through the recipes and confused about servings vs calories per servings
Hey Lisa, I would say a serving is 1/3 cup and it’s 70 calories. xx
Omgosh.. thank you x 100.. we made these as a family and we had so much fun. Did I mention easy and Delicious? What a great memory maker. Because of all the cheddar do you think we should refrigerate if we plan to save them for a few day?
Hey there,
Fantastic!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Can this work with almond or coconut flour for a lower carb option?
Hey Nadin,
I would recommend using an equal amount of GF flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I was going to ask the same question. My daughter can’t use the GF flour, Haven’t been able to find one that she can have, too many allergies. Would this work with the either of the flours mentioned? If so would it be 1 to 1 substitution?
Hi Traci,
The recipe calls for all purpose flour, so I would just use that:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made these for my son and he and I loved them! Do you have a recipe for original (the plain, not cheddar) goldfish crackers? Those and the pizza flavors are my fave and I’d love to be able to make them at home. Thanks!
Hey Mary,
Thanks a bunch for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Sorry, this is the only goldfish cracker recipe that I have. xTieghan
These crackers were so easy to make and tasted fairly like goldfish. Could be different because I reside out of the country and I notice a difference in everything I bake. I don’t have a goldfish cutter and it would be too expensive to get here, so I just cut into squares with the pizza cutter. These are an easy perfect snack for when my son is let out of classes.
Hey Christine,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Happy Friday! xTieghan
These are awesome! It’s crazy how the taste is exactly the same as the big box ones but the texture with this recipe is way better! Light, airy and most importantly cheesy!! I wanted to add some savory treats in with sweet treats for Christmas gifts and these are the perfect addition. Keeping this recipe forever.
Hey Alexandria,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
These were amazing and tasted just like goldfish. I used the finishing salt and a small flower cookie cutter for mine. I also made half as the recipe calls for and half “flavor blasted”. Sprinkled an extra spice mixture on before baking: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, cayenne, and Trinidad lemon garlic blend (the Spice House). My personal favorite is the flavor blasted version.
Hey Olivia,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving this a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi, I wanna try to make, but where I live I cannot find the sharp cheese, the dried that you recommend. I was only able to find mild cheddar and it’s not really dry. Can I still use it? Or should I add more flour? Thanks!
Hey Olga,
Mild cheddar cheese will work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan