CHEF JOHN'S CHEESY CRACKERS

Chef John's Cheesy Crackers image

These crunchy, crispy crackers have a big, bold cheese flavor. They're vastly superior to anything you can get at the store. You can change up the cheeses and the spices. It's really a fun thing to play around with.

Provided by Chef John

Categories Appetizers and Snacks Snacks Kids

Time 1h20m

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

½ teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
¾ cup lightly packed shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
⅓ cup lightly packed freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon paprika
1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cold water, or as needed

Steps:

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease with vegetable oil.
Place butter into a mixing bowl; add Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix together with the back of a spatula until thoroughly combined.
Mix flour into cheese mixture with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle in cold water, 1 or 2 drops at a time, and mix with spatula until it comes together in a dough that holds its shape when squeezed.
Transfer dough to a work surface and press into a thick, flattened disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Roll dough out on a floured work surface to about 1/8-inch thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut 1-inch wide strips from the dough. Cut strips crosswise into rectangles about 1 1/2-inches long. Use the back of a bamboo skewer to punch 5 small holes into each cracker. Arrange crackers onto prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until crackers are browned and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let stand about 3 minutes for crackers to cool and release from the foil. Let cool completely before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 25.2 calories, Carbohydrate 1.4 g, Cholesterol 4.7 mg, Fat 1.7 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 1.1 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, Sodium 43.5 mg