Cheese Crackers Recipe

Want an easy, make-ahead hors d’oeuvres for a cocktail party? Try this cheddar cheese cracker recipe. They’re buttery, crunchy and zippy and taste like grown-up Cheez-Its. Trust me; you’re going to love these cheese crackers.  

I like to put out a few nibbles when we have company over. You know, something to serve with drinks while dinner is cooking. These cheddar-y cheese crackers are one of my favorites.

It should be no surprise that these homemade cheddar crackers are irresistible. It is made with butter, freshly grated cheese, pops of mustard seed, and toasted pecans. These cheese crackers are crunchy, buttery and uber cheesy.

They’re easy to make using a food processor, and this cheese cracker recipe makes a lot…. which can be frozen and baked off whenever needed.

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Why you’ll love this recipe:

• This crackers recipe is straightforward and can be assembled in the food processor.
• You can make the dough ahead of time.
• You don’t need a rolling pin. These are slice-and-bake pecan cheddar crackers.
• You can bake off just as much as you need so they’re always fresh.
• It makes a big batch of cheese crackers.
• Extra logs of cracker dough can be frozen, so you’ve always got some ready for entertaining. Just thaw, slice and bake.
• They make a great appetizer for a party or a tasty snack for anytime.
• Kids love them.

Directions:

1. Blend the butter, cheese and egg yolk in a food processor until smooth.
2. Combine the dijon, dry mustard and mustard seed in a bowl, stir to combine and add to the butter mixture.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the dry ingredients (salt, cayenne and flour). Add to the butter and pulse until a soft dough forms.
4. Add the pecans and pulse 2-3 more times to combine.
5. Refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes.
6. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions.
7. Place each portion on parchment or wax paper and fold one side over the ball of cheese dough. With your hand shaped like a claw, pull the dough in the parchment paper toward you so that it begins to form a cylinder. Roll the dough back and forth to create a log about 2″ in diameter.
8. Refrigerate the logs for 4 hours to firm up.
9. Preheat to 350°F—line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
10. Unwrap one log of dough and thinly slice into rounds ⅛” thick. Arrange the cheese crackers 1″ apart on the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Variations:

• This cracker recipe works really well with cheddar cheese, but you can also use other different semi-firm cheeses. Some to consider would be Colby, Havarti, Monterey Jack, Cheddar Jack or Pepper Jack, Swiss or Emmenthaler.
• Add different spices to change the flavors. A teaspoon of toasted cumin or caraway seed would give these cheese crackers a distinctive flavor.
• Before slicing the cheese dough into rounds, coat the outside of the log with finely chopped pecans, mustard seeds, sesame seeds or other complimentary coating. Roll the dough log back and forth over the coating so that it sticks in an even layer, then slice it into crackers and bake.

FAQ’s

The great thing about this recipe is that you can make it in advance and slice and bake the cheese crackers when you’re ready to serve them.

Storage and freezing:

• Store baked cheese crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
• Cheddar cheese logs can be wrapped well and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
• Wrap individual cheese cracker logs in parchment and freezer paper and store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before baking.

How do they taste?

These cheddar cheese crackers have a sharp, tangy, cheesy bite with a hint of spicy heat. They are more crunchy than crisp, with a melt-in-your-mouth crumb. Chopped pecans add a hint of sweetness and a satisfying crunch. The mustard seed pops between your teeth like caviar, adding that surprise element.

I brought these cheese crackers to a family dinner, and they didn’t last. Everyone was raving and asking for the recipe.

If you want to be the hero of happy hour, I highly recommend these homemade cheese crackers.

More cheesy snacks and appetizers you’ll love:

• Cheesy Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Graveyard Halloween Dip
• Easy Baked Bacon Cheese Chile Dip
• Southern Pimento Cheese
• Smoked Smoked Salmon Cheese Ball
• Roasted Grape Goat Cheese Crostini
• Cheese Olive Balls
• Manchego Stuffed Date Appetizers

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4.50 from 12 votes

Pecan Cheddar Crackers

These are a bit indulgent with lots of butter and cheese, but they’re well worth the splurge!  Kind of like a grown-up Cheez-It!

Author: Lisa Lotts

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword cheddar, crackers, pecans

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 4 hours hours 35 minutes minutes

Servings 20

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 pound sharp cheddar cheese grated
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons dry mustard
• ¼ cup yellow mustard seeds
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup finely chopped pecans

Special Equipment:

• 7 cup or greater food processor

DIRECTIONS:

• Blend together the butter, cheese and egg yolk in the food processor until smooth.
• Combine the dijon, dry mustard and mustard seeds in a small bowl and stir. Add to the butter mixture.
• Combine the salt, cayenne and flour in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Put the lid on the food processor and pulse until a soft dough forms. Add the pecans and pulse 2-3 more times until combined. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.
• Divide the dough into four equal portions. Shape and roll the dough into logs about 2″ in diameter. Roll the dough in wax or parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm before continuing. (Note: if you’re not going to make all the crackers at once, you can freeze the logs well wrapped in parchment and foil or freezer bags for later use.)
• Position oven racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Unwrap logs and cut with a very sharp knife into 1/8″ thick rounds. Arrange 1″ apart on the baking sheet. Bake in batches, switching positions of the pans halfway through the baking process. Cook a total of 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer crackers to racks to cool.
• Store crackers in an airtight container for up to a week.

NOTES:

Each serving is about 5-6 crackers.

NUTRITION:

Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 59mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 64mg | Vitamin A: 555IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 1mg

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