As someone who enjoys baking, sometimes I tend to forget about the other half of the world. You know, that “savory” half. Baking isn’t all about cupcakes and muffins.
And honestly, sometimes there are only so many sweets you can take… I mean it’s rare but every once in a while I hit a wall where I feel like I am literally going to hurl if I see one. more. freaking. cookie. Like for real.
Enter: these crackers. Your saviors. They are here to give you a delightfully salty treat when one more cookie is the last thing you need. They are light and crisp and packed with cheesy flavor, thanks to the extra sharp cheddar.
You don’t have to use cheddar, but you will want to use a nice strong cheese to make sure your flavors stand out. Some browning on the bottom of your cracker will also help you in this department, as will a sprinkle of smoked paprika on top… if you feel so inclined.
Ingredients
- 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse butter until it is broken up. Add the cheese, salt, and spices and pulse until the mixture forms small curd-like pieces.
- Add flour and pulse until the dough forms into a loose dough with pea-sized clumps, about 1 minute.
- Turn dough out onto a clean work surface and knead it gently until a cohesive dough forms. Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour, or until firm.
- Working 1 disk at a time, roll the dough out between sheets of parchment to 1/4-inch thick. Using a cookie or biscuit cutter, cut into round disks (I used a 1-inch cutter), placing the rounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gather the scraps and re-roll and cut the remaining dough (I did this twice). Repeat with second disk of dough.
- Place baking sheet, lightly wrapped with plastic, in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F degrees. If desired, sprinkle disks with sea salt and bake for 15 to 17 minutes until the bottoms start to brown.
- Once you remove them from the oven, sprinkle them with sweet or smoked paprika and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
* Dorie uses Gruyere in her book, she also recommends Comte or Emmenthal as well. Any semi-firm cheese should work here.
* This dough can either be rolled and cut, as in the directions, or chilled into a log and sliced into 1/4-inch disks. Whichever you prefer.
[ Recipe from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan]
