Cheese Crackers

It’s hard for me to recall a time that I haven’t wanted to eat cheese and crackers. I also love to serve cheese; it’s an easy and elegant snack or transition from one course to the next. But, I’ve found a new way to eat cheese—by baking it into a cracker! These crackers are simple to make, lovely to serve and delicious to eat. My favorite way to serve them is topped with some very tasty Eat This tomato jalapeno or bacon(!) marmalade.

These crackers are so simple to make, they’re basically shortbread without the sugar and with cheese added in. I’ve adapted the following recipe from the cheese crispette recipe on Food52.

Cheese Crackers
Makes about 40

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sharp cheese, grated (aged asiago and cheddar are my favorites)
  • ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2-4 T milk (optional)
  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 egg

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheets with parchment.
  2. Put flour, butter, cheese, cayenne, paprika and salt into food processor or stand mixer. Mix together until a ball forms, adding milk if needed. Add the panko and mix until incorporated.
  3. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
  4. Form dough into logs, taking care to squeeze out any air pockets. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, and up to a week. When ready to bake, slice into ½” rounds and arrange on prepared baking sheets. Brush with egg wash and bake for 15-20 minutes, until the bottom is lightly browned.
  5. Cool on a wire rack and then enjoy!