These homemade healthy goldfish crackers are so simple to make! They taste just like the store ones but contain only 3 ingredients!

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I shared a recipe for homemade cheez-it crackers and was inspired to make a similar variation for goldfish. I was a little hesitant to try it out because I didn’t want to spend a long time cutting out small fish shapes from a dough, but I found this 5-in-one fish cutter that cuts out 5 small goldfish shapes at once! I’ve made these crackers with my toddler several times and he loves getting a chance to cut out the fish shapes and count off how many there are. Counting goldfish is a fun math activity, and getting to eat them is even more fun 😉 If you love store bought goldfish crackers, you’ll love this easy to make homemade version!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Here is what you’ll need to make these homemade healthy goldfish crackers:

Ingredients to make homemade goldfish
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese: Use a good quality cheese for best results.
  • All Purpose Flour: Main component for the dough.
  • Butter: Adds moisture and fats to the cheese dough.
  • Cold Water: Use as needed to help moisten the dough.

PROCESS

  1. Add the shredded cheese, flour, and butter to a food processor or blender and pulse it in increments until it forms into a grainy, sand-like texture. 
  2. Add the mixture to a bowl and knead it to form a dough. Add one tablespoon of ice-cold water if needed to help moisture the dough. The amount of water needed will vary depending on the temperature of the environment.
  3. Form a disc with the dough, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
  4. Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface ⅛ to ¼ of an inch thick. Use a small cookie cutter to cut out small shapes from the dough. You can also use a pizza slicer to slice the dough into small square-shaped crackers.
  5. Gather the scraps, re-roll the dough and cut out more cracker shapes. Repeat this process until all of the dough is used up.
  6. Bake the crackers at 350 degrees F for about 10 or until the edges are slightly brown. The total cook time will depend on the thickness of your crackers. Keep a very close eye on the crackers as they can burn quickly. Let them cool completely before serving.
Steps to make homemade goldfish crackers

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

Once cooled, store the crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. 

Goldfish crackers ready to bake

SUBSTITUTIONS

  • Cheddar cheese: You may substitute cheddar cheese with another type of cheese. Try to use a cheese that is low moisture for best results. I tried this recipe out with a 4-cheese Mexican blend and obtained good results.
  • All purpose flour: All purpose flour may be replaced with whole wheat flour, but the texture of the crackers may vary slightly.
  • Butter: The butter may be replaced with a plant based butter.
  • Optional Add Ins* Feel free to add in extra spices and seasonings for a little more flavor and taste!

RECIPE NOTES

  • Use a good quality cheese when making these crackers. I’ve made this both with pre-shredded packaged cheese and cheese grated from a block and have had success both times. 
  • Keep a very close eye on these crackers as they are baking so that they do not burn. The bake time will vary depending on the thickness of the crackers, so check on them after a few minutes!
  • The crackers will harden as they cool.
  • Feel free to add in other spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, etc. for a little added flavor!
  • I used this 5-in-one fish shape cutter to cut out 5 fish cracker shapes at a time, but you can use anything that you have on hand!
  • I love serving these crackers in a portable mini snack holder!
Easy grab portable snack holder

Here are some other fun, snacks that are great for on the go that you may like!

Homemade Goldfish Crackers

These homemade healthy goldfish crackers are so simple to make! They taste just like the store ones but contain only 3 ingredients!
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: goldfish crackers, homemade goldfish
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Dough Chilling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1-2 tbsp ice water (as needed)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
  • Add the shredded cheese, flour, and butter to a food processor or blender and pulse it in increments until it forms into a grainy, sand-like texture. 
  • Add the mixture to a bowl and knead it to form a dough. Add one tablespoon of ice cold water if needed to help moisture the dough. The amount of water needed will vary depending on the temperature of the environment.
  • Form a disc with the dough, wrap in plastic and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
  • Roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface ⅛ to ¼ of an inch thick. Use a small cookie cutter to cut out small shapes from the dough. You can also use a pizza slicer to slice the dough into small square-shaped crackers.
  • Gather the scraps, re-roll the dough and cut out more cracker shapes. Repeat this process until all of the dough is used up.
  • Bake the crackers for about 10 or until the edges are slightly brown. The total cook time will depend on the thickness of your crackers. Keep a very close eye on the crackers as they can burn quickly. Let them cool completely before serving.

Notes

  • Use a good quality cheese when making these crackers. I’ve made this both with pre-shredded packaged cheese and cheese grated from a block and have had success both times. 
  • Keep a very close eye on these crackers as they are baking so that they do not burn. The bake time will vary depending on the thickness of the crackers, so check on them after a few minutes!
  • The crackers will harden as they cool.
  • Feel free to add in other spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, etc. for a little added flavor!
  • I used this 5-in-one fish shape cutter to cut out 5 fish cracker shapes at a time, but you can use anything that you have on hand!
  • I love serving these crackers in a portable mini snack holder!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Goldfish Crackers
Amount per Serving
Calories
175.37
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
9.77
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
 
6.13
g
38
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
0.35
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2.73
g
Cholesterol
 
30.49
mg
10
%
Sodium
 
183.71
mg
8
%
Potassium
 
54.53
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
12.65
g
4
%
Fiber
 
0.42
g
2
%
Sugar
 
0.56
g
1
%
Protein
 
8.89
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
295.44
IU
6
%
Calcium
 
214.71
mg
21
%
Iron
 
0.92
mg
5
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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6 Comments

    1. Hi Reembow! I haven’t tried freezing these crackers but they are good for up to 5 days at room temperature in an airtight container! You could possibly freeze the dough before baking but I wouldn’t suggest freezing the crackers after baking.

  1. Just made these and my 3yo loves them already! He keeps sneaking out to the kitchen to swipe more from the cookie sheet while they cool.

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