Michelle says ‘these homemade cheese crackers are spicy, buttery, and totally addicting’. Based on a recipe from Robyn Stone’s Add a Pinch cookbook of Southern classics (Clarkson Potter, 2017, 978-0553496413), they seem a little bland to European palates so I made a few changes (see below).
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The fat content of cheese varies between dairies and brands, so if the dough seems unduly stiff, add more butter rather than more cheese. The original also used powdered garlic (⅛ tsp), but it’s such a tiny quantity that I have replaced it with paprika and doubled the quantities of the other spices.
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the cheese and butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and paprika. Using a silicone spatula, stir in the plain flour half a cup at a time, until the ingredients are well combined and a dough forms.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and shape it into a 1-inch-diameter log. Twist the ends of the parchment or plastic wrap to seal. Refrigerate for 30 and a bit minutes. (see tip)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place on a cutting board. Cut the log into ⅛ ″-thick slices and place ¼ ″ apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Gently slide the crackers off the paper or mat onto a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
Makes a wonderful pre-dinner nibble or an anytime snack.
The crackers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week, but my guess is they won’t be around by nightfall.
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In some countries, iodine is added to salt for public health reasons. In Ireland we are an island with a large fish and dairy component to our diet, so our salt has no iodine added, but when I mention salt, feel free to substitute whatever kind of salt your requirements dictate.
This is a good way to get the fat in the mixture to solidify so that it won’t melt too fast and spread out while cooking. It also gives time for some essential chemical reactions between the ingredients which provide a more even, golden bake.
Ireland is on GMT (UTC), one hour behind Central European, five hours ahead of Eastern, eight hours ahead of Pacific, and 8–12 hours behind Oz/NZ, depending on location. We love to get your calls, but at 4am our time we’re likely to be asleep.