CHEESY DOG CRACKERS

We have a LOT of baking supplies around here and one of my favorite things is finding new uses for them. Turns out mini cookie cutters make the best homemade cracker shapes! They're the perfect snack cracker size!

My kids LOVE cheesy crackers so we wanted to try baking our own. After sifting through my mini cutter collection they decided little dachshunds would be the perfect shape for our cheesy crackers. I think they were right, almost too cute to eat! Almost.

To make your crackers combine the cheese, butter, and salt in a food processor. Add the flour and pulse until the mixture is combined. Drizzle in the ice water while still pulsing your mixture. Add a few more drops of water if needed until your dough starts to form. Scoop out your dough and form into 3 balls and pat flat. Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for an hour, or until you're ready to roll and bake.

After your dough has chilled roll to an 1/8" thickness on a lightly floured surface. If your doughs cracks you can let it warm up for a few minutes, or gently press the dough back together between rolling. Cut out your cute little doggie shapes and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake your crackers in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. This will really depend on how thick your dough is and how big your crackers are. We watched the first batch of crackers very carefully and pulled them out when they started to get just a little brown on the edges. Cool on a wire rack.

This recipe made about 11 dozen cheesy dog crackers and we all loved them. A lot! They were especially delicious packaged up in orange stripe bags alongside a glass of cold milk with a cute orange stripe straw. Yes, I do believe cute details can enhance flavor!

• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 3 TB unsalted softened butter
• 1 TB shortening
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup flour
• 2 TB ice water
• orange candy shop stripe paper bags
• orange stripe paper straws

♥ greta