Cheese Crackers
Submitted by shalimar
Homemade cheese crackers made with sharp cheddar, flour, and butter, rolled thin and baked until crispy. Customize with curry powder, garlic salt, celery salt, or black pepper toppings.
YIELD
1 dozenPREP
20 minCOOK
10 minREADY
2 hrsFour ingredients, five minutes in the oven, and you’ve got cheese crackers that make store-bought ones taste like cardboard.
Sharp cheddar is the star. The older and sharper the cheese, the more punch these crackers have. It gets mixed with flour, butter (or margarine), salt, paprika, and a pinch of cayenne into a simple dough.
Roll them as thin as you possibly can. The thinner the dough, the crispier the cracker. They puff slightly in the oven, so what seems paper-thin raw will end up with a satisfying snap when baked.
The topping options are where these get fun: curry powder, garlic salt, celery salt, or freshly ground black pepper. If the dough is dry after rolling, brush the tops with a little water so the seasoning sticks. If it’s soft, just press the toppings in gently.
Chef Tips
- Use very sharp, aged cheddar. Mild cheddar makes bland crackers. You want that intense, almost tangy bite.
- Roll as thin as possible. Thick crackers taste bready, not crispy. Aim for nearly translucent.
- Watch them closely in the oven. Five minutes at high heat means the difference between golden and burnt is about 30 seconds.
Variations
- Add finely grated Parmesan to the dough for a double-cheese version.
- Swap cheddar for Gruyere or smoked gouda for a more complex, nutty cracker.
- Press sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning into the tops before baking.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix all together in a bowl.
Original directions suggested shaping into a roll 1½ inch wide, chilling at least 2 hours wrapped in wax paper and cutting in thin slices to make 1 dozen or more crackers.
This would produce neatly shaped crackers, possibly thicker than desired.
By rolling very thin, this amount of dough will make small crackers about ½ inch apart to cover 1½ small cookie sheets.
They do puff up while baking.
May be cut quickly in random small shapes with a plastic knife.
Suggested toppings coarse salt (made them too salty), garlic salt, celery salt, curry powder, or freshly ground black pepper.
If the dough is very dry after rolling, brush tops with water before salting.
If it is soft, sprinkle lightly and press the salt into the crackers.
Bake 5 minutes at 425 degrees F or until browned.
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