Vegan Tahini “cheez-its” made with nutritional yeast and a gluten-free almond oat base. Tahini gives these crackers a sesame twist!
After Dan goes to bed he sometimes leaves a savory snack behind, a half empty bowl of pretzels or a cheez-its to commemorate the night.
My snacking, on the other hand, rarely leaves behind any crumbs, especially where these Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its” are concerned.
These are salty buttery yellow squares baked to crispy perfection are my new plant-based, oil-free, and gluten-free obsession.
They’re totally “cheezy” without any added cheese– intrigued?
Ah, cheesy snacking crackers.
My parents never bought Cheetos, even though I devoured them greedily with orange stained fingers at friends’ houses.
We did have Cheez-Its on hand occasionally, though, for some seriously savory snacking.
I never liked chips (really!), but I could go for a good Cheez-It every now and then.
So…how about now?
What You Need to Make Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its”
Ever since making my Vegan & Gluten-Free Graham Crackers, I haven’t been able to get crackers off of my mind.
The whole cracker-making process was just a lot easier than I’d ever anticipated.
Sometimes, in life and in food, we tend to build the unknown up to be big and magical just because we’ve never been there and done that.
So today, let’s bring the magical to light; you’re going to get crack(er)in’.
How to Make Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its”
These Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its” bring all of the cracker flair, complete with a dotted design courtesy of the single chopstick I fished out of our silverware drawer.
Despite looking like a regular old Cheez-It, they also taste like one too, no, actually, they taste better.
They’re cheezy, salty, with the crunch that was heard around the room.
A few spoonfuls of nutritional yeast plus garlic and spices like paprika and turmeric make the cheesy flavor come to life without any dairy.
If you’re new to nooch, you can keep the flavor at a minimum, but if you love big bold “cheeziness” like, me, try a few big Tablespoons.
Eden Foods Organic Roasted Tahini
If you’re an F&V oldie, you might be shaking your head right now, wondering how I managed to use sesame yet again.
Because it’s delicious, friends, and so versatile!
This recipe is made entirely oil-free with the use Eden Foods Organic Roasted Tahini.
Eden sesame seeds are organically grown, hulled, lightly roasted, and ground to a smooth dreamy paste.
It has a rich, mildly nutty flavor and an extremely creamy texture.
Because, it’s goodness in a glass jar.
Tahini adds healthy fats and creaminess to this recipe, complimenting the “cheezy” flavor with richness and tang.
Swaps and Substitutions
If you like crispier crackers, try baking them for longer than the time below– watching closely to ensure they don’t burn.
I found the 16-17-ish minute mark was the perfect doneness for my squares, but this will also depend on the shapes you use and the size of your crackers.
To mimic Cheez-It aesthetics, I kept mine squared, but you could do any size and shape you like.
Crackers will get crispier as they cool, so make sure to allow your Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its” to cool completely before chowing down and serving.
How to Serve Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its”
Enjoy these Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its” whenever you’re craving a crispy savory snack.
I like mine with a shake of turmeric for extra color and a hint of “mustard”.
They’re perfect for a nutritious alternative cracker.
These bites are great in their own right, or try pairing them with any of my dips and spreads.
Store them at room temp in a sealed container for up to one week– but I’d be surprised if they make it to day 7!
More Vegan Crackers
I Want to Hear From You
If you make this Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its” recipe, let me know!
Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.
Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.
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XO Lauren

Vegan Tahini “Cheez-Its”
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: ~50 crackers
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Vegan “cheez-its” made with nutritional yeast and a gluten-free almond oat base. Tahini gives these crackers a sesame twist!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 TBSP nutritional yeast (+more as desired for “cheezy” flavor)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2/3 cup super fine almond flour
- 1/3 cup gluten-free oat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (optional)
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- pinch of turmeric (optional for color)
- 3 TBSP Eden Foods Organic Roasted Sesame Tahini
- 4–5 TBSP filtered cold water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Next, add the dry ingredients to a food processor and process everything to thoroughly combine.
- Add the tahini and pulse everything again until it’s crumbly.
- Add cold water 1 TBSP at a time until it forms a loose dough. I used 4 TBSP, but use the least amount possible so you don’t have watered down dough!
- Remove the dough from processor and form it into a loose ball with your hands.
- Lay the ball on a lightly floured surface – I found parchment worked great as my flat surface – dust the top with flour, and roll the dough to 1/8th inch thick with a lightly floured rolling pin.
- Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut cookie cutter shape to cut the dough into square crackers.
- Using a toothpick or chopstick, dot the centers to mimic the appearance of Cheez-Its.
- Bake the crackers for 15-18 minutes or until they’re puffy and golden brown. For a crispier cracker, bake until a deeper golden brown.
- Store leftover crackers in an airtight container for up to one week.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Minimalist Baker and Pass the Plants
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Snack, Side
- Method: Oven-Bake
- Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Oil-Free
This post is brought to you by Eden Foods, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!
These crackers are so cheezy, dense and satisfying! This recipe makes a sheet pan full of crackers and they are gone within hours of making them. I love that they have a strong “cheese” taste but are positively dairy free.
Hi Jen,
Thanks so much for your comment– appreciate the review and I’m so glad you loved them! 🙂
XOXO Lauren
I want to make these today but don’t have almond flour, possible to use only oat?? I also have on hand buckwheat, rice, and coconut flours.
Thanks so much!
Hi Sarah!
I think oat flour could work! You may need to add a little more tahini if the batter appears too dry. Let me know how it goes!
XOXO Lauren
Thanks for your reply! I did all oat and figured out in the moment it was super dry so added more water. The dough was super crumbly so I had to sort of pat together the squares lol. But after they baked they were perfectly formed and delicious! Thanks again 🙂
Ooh I love these gf crackers! They are so easy to make. After I rolled out the mix I cut the squares with a pizza cutter and didn’t bother separating the crackers before baking, and they came out great. I also went for max ”cheezy” flavour and used 2 Tbsp of nutritional yeast. So addictive. I’m excited about playing with different flavour variations in future batches, cheers!
Hi Karen,
I’m so glad that you tried these! Also, I LOVE that you added additional nutritional yeast…yum!
XOXO Lauren
I just finished making these crackers. They are really good. This recipe made about half a baking sheet and that could been because I rolled out the dough on the baking sheet. Also cut the crackers with a pizza wheel and left them adjoined as they baked. I ground oatmeal for the oatmeal flour which worked fine. Grinding the almonds to make the flour worked, but I thought it was damp with its own oils.
The crackers are really delicious and surprisingly “cheesy”. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I LOVE Chees-its!
Hi! I love the tip about cutting the crackers with a pizza wheel– that’s a great idea! So glad that you enjoyed the flavor!
XOXO Lauren
These are absolutely delicious! Incredible. Thank you!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed them! Thanks for the comment!
XOXO Lauren