Cheese Puffs

Cheese Puffs

These little crackers are addictive. We made them in a kids’ cooking class last week, and again with adults last night. They were a big hit. So tasty, so easy.

Forget any of the store bought “cheesy” crackers you have had in the past. These are so much better. The dough is pretty simple, just 5 ingredients- cheese, butter, salt, hot sauce and flour.

Homemade crackers are not hard to make at all. They do involve a little time, but it is well worth it.

We used miniature cookie cutters (also called aspic cutters) that come in all sorts of adorable shapes. You can also just cut the dough into thin strips, or small squares. We even cut some in little fish shapes, like a popular snack cracker.

I used sharp cheddar cheese, but you can play around with other cheeses. I have made these with Swiss cheese and they were also good. You can add more cayenne or add some herbs, if you like. I really recommend using a food processor to make the dough. It helps to get the cheese and flour to combine.

They don’t spread at all, so you can place them pretty close together on the baking sheet.

Think of how much fun these would be to serve at your next party. They make a nice gift, too.

Cheese Puffs

1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

½ c. butter

½ t. salt

¼ t. cayenne pepper or  hot pepper sauce to taste

1¾ c. flour

In mixer or food processor, combine cheese and butter until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend until pretty smooth. Roll out onto lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into thin strips or use mini cookie cutters to make shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet, nearly touching, as they do not spread.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Bottoms should be lightly browned. Makes about 100, freeze well.

Ready for the oven