Cheddar Cheese Crackers with Pecans

Lots of holiday treats are sweet. For a change of pace, I fill goodie bags with my cheese crackers. The recipe has a large yield, but you can freeze the dough logs to bake later.

2 cups butter, softened
4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
4½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 cup pecans, finely chopped, toasted

In a large bowl, cream butter and cheese until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, garlic powder and cayenne; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in pecans.

Shape into eight 10” long logs. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until dough is firm, 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into ¼” slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges are crisp and lightly browned, 12-14 minutes. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate in airtight containers.

Makes 24 dozen.

Cook's Notes: Can you freeze Cheddar-Pecan Crisps? Place wrapped logs in resealable freezer bags; place in freezer. To use, unwrap frozen logs and cut into slices. If necessary, let dough stand 15 minutes at room temperature before cutting. Bake as directed, increasing time by 1-2 minutes.

Nutritional Information:
1 cracker: 27 calories, 2g fat (1g saturated fat), 5mg cholesterol, 19mg sodium, 2g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.