It’s crazy to think that you can inhale 40-something Cheez-Its in a matter of seconds, and every single one of those crispy, flavorful one-inch squares took 24 hours to make. But it does go to show that this iconic cheese snack is far more complex than we give it credit for.

First up: the flour, which is actually the star of the show. But Flour-Its doesn’t have the same ring, does it?

This, along with vegetable oil and salt, goes into a mixer. Next comes ice water to ensure the mixture stays very cold even while the mixer blades move and generate heat.

Paprika is also added to the mix, but it has to first be premixed into water, sugar, and salt separately to avoid it clumping and to ensure that signature sold orange color.

Next, the “100% real cheese” used in the recipe is a blend of cheddar and cheese made from skim milk, both of which come in massive, cumbersome blocks that are pressed out of a machine to look like yellow Play-Doh. This makes it........

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