Let’s be honest, placing a box of crackers in a bowl is the ultimate, “I tried, but not really.” party move. But with a handful of spices and a little bit of time in the oven, you can transform that same box of crackers from an emergency snack into a dangerously addictive nibble. These Sweet & Spicy Jerk Seasoned Cheez-it Crackers have a bold Caribbean-inspired crunch that hits every flavor note: savory, cheesy, spicy, and perfectly sweet. Fair warning, once you put out the bowl, it’s going to disappear fast.
Lately, I often find myself warning B.O.B. Bob that something I’ve made is a wee bit spicy. And, more times than not, he comes back at me with the remark, “Nah, it’s not that spicy.” Y’all, it seems that over the past ten years, each of us has developed a newfound love for spicier foods, which in itself is really quite amazing, considering we used to shy away from anything and everything spicy. We were definitely spice wimps. Well, y’all, the night I made these lil’ sweet and spicy crackers, I warned my darling B.O.B. Bob that they definitely had quite a bit of kick. But, of course, as usual, he replied, “They’re not that spicy.” Until, of course, he decided to snack on a few the next day in a class he was taking for work. Then, all of a sudden, I get a text message showing a picture of them in a bag on his desk, with the statement, “These things are spicy.” To which I replied, “I warned you.” So, yeah, with these crackers, you may want to give a little bit of warning to anyone who is a spice wimp. But, for those that are not, these lil’ suckers are crazy addictive. Even with their high spice level, neither B.O.B. Bob nor I could stop eating them.
Ingredients:
- 1 (12.4-oz.) Box Original Cheddar Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers
- 1/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 Teaspoons Jerk Seasoning (See Suggestions)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cayenne
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Spread the crackers out onto a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, jerk seasoning, onion powder, cayenne, and pepper.
- Drizzle half of the olive oil mixture over the crackers and gently stir to coat. Repeat with the remaining olive oil mixture. Spread the crackers out into an even single layer.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring gently every 15 minutes.
- Allow the crackers to come to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container.
Suggestions:
- To make this recipe, I used homemade Brown Sugar Caribbean Jerk Seasoning. Crafted with the perfect blend of spices and the subtle sweetness of brown sugar, this homemade jerk seasoning is a lovely way to add a slightly sweet flavorful Caribbean spice profile to your everyday recipes. If you use store-bought jerk seasoning, you may want to start with 2 teaspoons instead of 3. The store-bought version will most assuredly contain more salt.
- I did not add any salt to the olive oil mixture because the crackers and the jerk seasoning already contain a decent amount of salt.
- You can use any flavor of Cheez-It crackers you choose for this recipe. I used the “Flags & Stars” Original Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers for this recipe. Just make sure to use a 12.4-oz. box of crackers, so that the seasoning-to-cracker ratio is somewhat the same.
- The crackers will take 45 to 60 minutes to bake, depending on your oven. They are done when they are toasted and no longer overly wet from the oil mixture.
- These crackers taste even better the next day, so try to resist eating all of them as soon as they come out of the oven. This is a great recipe to make the day before a party or gathering.
Improvements:
- If you want to spice things up even more, add crushed red pepper flakes to the olive oil mixture.
- Love garlic? Add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder to the olive oil mixture.
- Serve these crackers with one of our delicious soup, chili, stew, or chowder recipes. CLICK HERE for the recipes.
Ingredients:
- 1 (12.4-oz.) Box Original Cheddar Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers
- 1/4 Cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Light Brown Sugar, Packed
- 2 Teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 Teaspoons Jerk Seasoning (See Suggestions)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cayenne
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Spread the crackers out onto a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, jerk seasoning, onion powder, cayenne, and pepper.
- Drizzle half of the olive oil mixture over the crackers and gently stir to coat. Repeat with the remaining olive oil mixture. Spread the crackers out into an even single layer.
- Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring gently every 15 minutes.
- Allow the crackers to come to room temperature before storing them in an airtight container.
PIN THIS RECIPE
Don’t let this recipe slip away. How often do you find a recipe intriguing, yet forget where to find it when you finally get the hankering to make it? Instead of digging through old posts or wandering aimlessly around on the internet, why not Pin this recipe to Pinterest where you can find it when you eventually need it? Simply Pin the image above and you’ll have it when that time comes. You can follow us HERE on Pinterest or simply click HERE to find all of our pin-worthy recipes.
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Make these Sweet & Spicy Jerk Seasoned Cheez-It Crackers with this Brown Sugar Caribbean Jerk Seasoning. Crafted with the perfect blend of spices and the subtle sweetness of brown sugar, this homemade jerk seasoning is a lovely way to add a slightly sweet flavorful Caribbean spice profile to your everyday recipes. The amazing versatility of this seasoning mix is what makes it so special. It can be used to grill chicken, shrimp, or fish, however, it can also enhance the flavor of rotisserie chicken salad, roasted vegetables, and even deviled eggs. Don’t be afraid to experiment and get creative with this easy-to-make Caribbean seasoning. CLICK HERE for the recipe.
