Spicy Southern cheese crackers

Michelle Lettrich

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).

Ingredients

  • 220 g cheddar cheese, grated fine
  • 110 g salted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
  • 1 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
  • 220 g plain flour

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 that gives an unpleasant metallic tang so I have replaced it with paprika and doubled the quantities of the spices.

Method

  1. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the cheddar cheese and salted butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and Hungarian paprika. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the plain flour half a cup at a time, until the ingredients are well combined and a dough forms.

  2. 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 minutes. (see tip)

  3. Preheat oven to 190°C (170° fan, gas 5). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

  4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place on a cutting board. Cut the log into ⅛-inch-thick slices and place ¼ inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

  5. Bake until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. Gnetly slide the crackers off the paper or mat onto a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

Serving

  • 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.