Cheddar Cheese Crisps with Black Sesame and Red Pepper
These lacy little crisps are just what you need for an easy and stress-free holiday party. Serve them as an appetizer with a glass of wine or at the table alongside a bowl of soup. Or just snack on them all by themselves. Be warned, however: It's impossible to eat just one. These cheese crisps couldn’t be easier to make. Just grate some cheese, add a little flour and spice and stir in a spoonful of crunchy seeds. You can drop them on a baking sheet with a Tbsp., but a 2” round cookie cutter helps keep the unwieldy little shreds of cheese from scattering. Use the cutter like a mold and drop spoonfuls inside.
6 oz sharp cheddar, freshly grated (~ 2 cups)
¼ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 tsp. ground paprika
⅛ tsp. baking powder
1 pinch ground cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. butter, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. black sesame, poppy, coriander, or cumin seed
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using the large holes of a grater, grate the cheese.
Make the Crisp Mix:
In a bowl, combine the flour, ground paprika, baking powder and cayenne. Add the butter and mix with a fork or your fingers until blended in. Stir in the seeds. Add the grated cheese and toss with your hands to combine.
Form and Bake the Crisps:
Mound Tbsp. -size portions of the cheese mixture on the baking sheets, spaced 2” apart. Flatten them slightly with the back of the spoon.
It's not absolutely necessary, but you can also use a 2” round cookie cutter as a mold to keep the cheese tidy if you like. Place the cutter on the baking sheet and drop a spoonful of cheese mix into it. Lift the cutter, level the cheese and repeat until you have made all the crisps.
Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until golden:
Let the crisps cool completely on the baking sheets. Lift the edge of the parchment to lift the crisps off the baking sheet, then peel them off. Store in an airtight container.
Makes 24 servings.
Cook's Notes:
- If you'd like, you can substitute another semi-hard cheese for the cheddar, like Swiss or Gruyère.
- The crisps are best the day they are made. If they've gone a little soft, just pop them back in the oven for a few minutes to warm them up before serving. They will re-crisp as they cool.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: Calories: 88 | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 2g | Protein: 5g