If your family loves Goldfish crackers but you need to avoid gluten, you’ve probably wished for an easy homemade version. How fun that you can now make your own gluten free Goldfish crackers at home with a trusted recipe — and this recipe has another important advantage beyond being gluten-free: you control the ingredients.
These crispy, snackable gluten free crackers are also already vegan and dairy free, making them a great option for families navigating more than one dietary restriction. Whether you need gluten free and dairy free snacks, avoid eggs, follow a vegan diet, or simply want to know exactly what’s going into your kids’ crackers, this homemade recipe gives you the flexibility that packaged crackers can’t provide.
And yes, they can be shaped like those iconic little fish! Grab yourself a handy goldfish cutter like mine (there are loads of inexpensive options out there!), but I highly recommend getting one with at least a few fishies in a row to save you time. Alternatively, simply cut the dough into rows and make squares like Cheez-Its!
These homemade Goldfish-style crackers are crisp, savory, and wonderfully snackable. They’re perfect for lunchboxes, after-school snacks, road trips, parties, or anytime you need a crunchy gluten free snack that kids will actually be excited to eat. I have to admit I enjoyed my share while making this recipe, too!
Why Make Homemade Gluten Free Goldfish Crackers?
Even as more gluten-free cracker options become available, making your own has some pretty significant advantages. Homemade gluten free crackers let you customize the recipe to your dietary needs instead of trying to find one packaged product that checks every box.
This recipe can be made vegan and dairy free, so there’s no need to rely on butter, cheese, or other dairy ingredients for that craveable cracker flavor. It’s especially helpful for families managing both celiac disease or gluten intolerance and dairy allergies or sensitivities.
You can also adjust the seasoning, thickness, and even the shape. Make classic little fish, or use whatever tiny cookie cutter you have on hand. Once you realize how easy homemade gluten free crackers can be, you may find yourself making them for every snack emergency!
Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Totally Customizable
One of my favorite things about making these vegan gluten free crackers from scratch is the ability to tailor them. Need them dairy free? No problem. Making them vegan? Easy. Want a particular seasoning or a milder flavor for little ones? Can’t have pea protein? Choose a different vegan cheese. You’re in control.
And that flexibility matters. A gluten-free product isn’t necessarily the right product for everyone with dietary restrictions. By making these gluten free Goldfish crackers at home, you can choose ingredients that work for your family rather than having to work around the ingredients in a package.
How Do I Make Gluten Free and Vegan Goldfish Crackers?
Take a look at this recipe and you’ll see that it doesn’t take long at all to make this simple dough. Grab the ingredients that work for your family and use a food processor or mixer to pull it all together.
If you don’t have a food processor, chop the cheese into small pieces the size of peas before adding to the remaining ingredients.
If you are using a food processor, be sure not to over-mix during any stage of this process or it will make the dough hot and melty. If that happens, simply cover the dough and refrigerate until colder before rolling out.
When rolling, be sure not to make the crackers too thick — shoot for about 1/8″ to 1/4″ maximum, or the crackers will be too thick and will bake out soft instead of crunchy. With my gfJules Flour, this dough is easy to roll and re-roll until all the dough is used up without it getting crumbly.
It’s ok to put the crackers close together on the baking sheet, they can even touch, as it’s easy to break them apart after baking.
So whether you’re looking for a gluten free Goldfish crackers recipe, vegan crackers, dairy free crackers, or an easy homemade gluten free snack, these little fish are ready to swim onto your baking sheet—and into hungry hands!
And speaking of crackers, don’t miss my recipes for homemade gluten-free crackers (regular style), homemade gluten-free graham crackers, gluten-free animal crackers, and even gluten-free teething wafers!
Gluten Free Goldfish Crackers Recipe (Vegan, Dairy Free & Easy!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (7.7) cups (ounces) shredded dairy-free cheddar cheese (I've used Violife and Vevan brands)
- 1 (135) cup (grams) gfJules Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. paprika
- ¼ tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. nutritional yeast optional
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cane sugar
- 6 (3) Tbs. (ounces) cold dairy-free butter, cut into ½” pieces (I used Miyoko’s Creamery)
- 2 Tbs. cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Place the cheese in a food processor.* Pulse until the cheese crumbles are smaller than a pea.
- Add the gfJules Flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and sugar. Pulse until crumbles form.
- Add the butter and pulse just until the mixture starts forming larger clumps. Add 2 tablespoons of water and pulse until the mixture starts to form into a ball. If dough is too dry, add an additional 1 tablespoon of water. Try not to over-process or the dough will get warm; refrigerate the dough afterwards if that happens.
- Generously flour a counter or pastry mat with gfJules Flour. Turn 1/2 the dough out onto the parchment paper and form it into a ball. Gently flatten the ball with your hands.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it is about 1/8” thick. Use a goldfish cracker cutter to cut out the crackers or simply cut into squares like Cheese-its. Transfer crackers to the lined baking sheets. You can place them fairly close together on the baking sheets. If making goldfish, use a toothpick to poke an eye in each cracker; if making cheese cracker squares, poke the center of each. Repeat with remaining dough while other crackers are baking.
- Bake for approximately 14 minutes. The crackers should be puffy and crispy to the touch.
- Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
** Please keep in mind that nutrition information provided is per serving, which may vary. While we have taken care to provide you with the most accurate nutritional values possible, please note that this information may differ significantly depending on the exact ingredients and brands that you choose to use to make this recipe. Additionally, where options are given for ingredients, the resulting calculation may include all ingredient options instead of only one per line, skewing the totals significantly.
I can’t wait for you to make this recipe! Please let me know what cheeses you used and how they turned out!
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