Graduation Cap Snack (Printable)

A fun and festive snack featuring crackers, cheese, and a licorice tassel for special occasions.

# What you'll need:

→ Base

01 - 12 square crackers (e.g., Wheat Thins, water crackers)
02 - 12 square slices of cheese (cheddar, Swiss, or American, approximately 1.5 inches square)

→ Tassel

03 - 12 long strings of black licorice or dried fruit strips (e.g., mango, apricot, or fruit leather, cut into thin strips about 3 inches long)

→ Assembly

04 - 12 small dots of cream cheese or hummus (for adhering)
05 - 12 small candy pearls or raisins (optional, for tassel button)

# How to make it:

01 - Place a square cracker on a serving platter.
02 - Top each cracker with a square slice of cheese, aligning edges to form the cap shape.
03 - Secure one end of a licorice string or dried fruit strip to a corner of the cheese slice using a small dab of cream cheese or hummus as adhesive, allowing the tassel to drape over the edge.
04 - Place a candy pearl or raisin atop the tassel end to simulate the cap button, fixing it with additional cream cheese or hummus if desired.
05 - Continue assembling remaining snacks using the same method and serve promptly.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • They're so simple to make that even kids can help assemble them, turning snack prep into a fun celebration activity
  • Everyone stops to marvel at how clever they are before realizing how delicious the combination of crispy, cheesy, and sweet really is
  • You can customize them with whatever cheese or crackers you have on hand, making them endlessly adaptable to your pantry
02 -
  • Assemble these as close to serving time as possible because crackers will eventually soften once the cheese sits on them. I learned this the hard way at a party where I made them an hour early, and by the time guests arrived, they'd lost that essential crispy-to-chewy contrast that makes them special.
  • The cream cheese adhesive needs to be cold enough to hold things in place. If it's too warm or soft, your tassel will slide around like it's got a mind of its own. A few minutes in the fridge before assembly saves you from this chaos.
03 -
  • Chill your cream cheese or hummus for 15 minutes before assembly—it'll hold the tassel much more securely, and your snacks will look intentional rather than precarious
  • If your licorice or fruit strips are a bit too floppy, you can gently microwave them for just 3 to 5 seconds to make them slightly more pliable and easier to position exactly where you want them
Return