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If you’re looking for a delicious and gluten-free snack to enjoy with your favourite beverage, look no further! These addictive flaky, buttery cheese crackers are the perfect companion for a cold refreshment, be it beer or wine.
Made with a gluten-free flaky pastry that’s ready in under an hour, these crackers are topped with a savoury blend of cayenne pepper, grated Parmesan cheese, and sesame seeds. Baked to perfection in a hot oven for just 10 minutes, they’re a quick and easy treat that will leave your taste buds craving for more.
In the spirit of Oktoberfest, I couldn’t resist creating a delectable salty snack that perfectly complements a cold beer. These turned out even more amazing than I anticipated and are sure to become a beloved October baking favourite for me!
What is Oktoberfest?
Oktoberfest is an annual festival that takes place from mid- or late-September to around the first Sunday in October. This cherished tradition has been celebrated since 1810 and is deeply rooted in Bavarian culture. While Munich hosts the original event, cities worldwide also embrace the spirit of Oktoberfest with their own vibrant celebrations.
In Vienna, where I reside, they call it Wiener Wiesn’ which combines the essence of a cultural and folk music festival with the love for beer. For two weeks, different regions of Austria come together to showcase their unique cultural traditions, arts, food and live music, creating an unforgettable experience.
A delectable treat for Oktoberfest!
If you’re planning to attend Oktoberfest in your chosen city, it’s important to note that gluten-free options may be limited. However, these delightful cheese biscuits are a perfect travel companion, allowing you to savour every moment alongside a refreshing stein of cold beer.
Other culinary delights during Oktoberfest
Prior to attending the festival, I recommend researching the catering options available, as some menus may indicate the presence of gluten in their dishes. If you prefer to celebrate Oktoberfest at home and want to try your hand at preparing traditional gluten-free dishes, here are some recipes to kickstart your culinary adventure.
Austrian Ribs with the Works!
Goulash with Dumplings
Kaisersemmel (Austrian Bread Rolls)
Bagels
Are these cheese crackers a match for a dip?
While these cheese crackers are bursting with flavour, I would advise against serving them with a dip. They truly shine when enjoyed on their own or served as an accompaniment to soups, salads or casseroles.
Gluten-Free Cheese Crackers
Equipment
- Stand mixer Optional
- Small cookie cutters, shaped triangle, oval, round or square
- Storage tin, keeps crackers crisp
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Cheese Crackers
- 200 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free plain flour
- 200 g cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 3 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 80-100 ml water, ice-cold
- 4 drops of lemon juice
Egg Wash
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp water
Toppings
- 1-2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 4-5 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
- 3 tbsp black & white sesame seeds
Instructions
GLUTEN-FREE CHEESE CRACKERS
Preparing the dough
- Freeze the butter cubes for 10 mins.
- Sift the gluten-free plain flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.
- Quickly rub in the cold butter pieces using the tip of your fingers, two knives or a paddle attachment if using a stand mixer, until most of the butter has blended into the flour. Don't worry if you can see specks or streaks of butter in the dough, this is a good sign that it hasn't been over-mixed.
- Add the cold water and lemon juice gradually, mixing well with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment on the stand mixer.
- As soon as the dough comes together, stop mixing and cover it with plastic film. Chill the dough for 20 mins.
Rolling out & topping the crackers
- Roll out the pastry to ½ cm thick between a sheet of baking paper at the base and plastic film over the top, to prevent the pastry from sticking.
- Cut out either triangle, oval, round or square shapes using a small cookie cutter or eyeball the shape by using a large knife.
- Transfer each cracker to a lined baking tray spacing them 2 cm apart.
- Chill the entire tray/s for 20 to 30 mins.
- Mix the egg yolk and water to create an egg wash and brush each cracker with the egg wash.
- Dust the cayenne pepper over the crackers.
- Top each cracker with the grated Parmesan cheese.
- Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the crackers.
Baking the crackers
- Preheat the oven temperature to 230°C/450°F.
- Bake the crackers in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Allow to cool down slightly before serving.
- Serve on the side to accompany refreshments, soups, salads or casseroles.
- Store in a biscuit tin to keep them crisp
Notes
- Keeps for 2 days, but is best eaten on the same day as baking.
- Stores well in a metal biscuit tin, but should you want to crisp them up again, reheat the crackers briefly in an air fryer or oven.
- Suitable to freeze, but refresh them as mentioned above.
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These crackers are SO delicious, crispy and savory and relatively easy to make. I would recommend a little flour on the parchment paper when rolling out the dough. I haven’t had flaky pastry like this since being diagnosed with celiac five years ago. I am going to try a sweet version using half cream cheese half butter and some powdered sugar.
Thanks Kristi for your positive feedback and tip to add more flour when rolling the dough out. It can be tricky to estimate exactly how much flour to use at this stage as it really depends on the gluten-free flour blend used and I have a tendency to eye-ball the amount needed when rolling. Good luck with the sweet flaky pastry. Let me know how you go by either leaving a comment or sending me an email. Thanks again!