White Cheddar Spritz Crackers

Ingredients

• 12 oz sharp white cheddar cheese (grated, at room temperature)
• 4 oz Parmesan cheese (grated, at room temperature)
• 1.25 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1.5 tsp black pepper
• 3.5 cup all-purpose flour

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Set aside a few sheet pans; do not line them with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Fit a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the cheddar, Parmesan, butter, salt, and black pepper. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides so everything is incorporated.

3. 3

   With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour. Continue mixing, scraping down the sides as needed, until the dough is well mixed.

4. 4

   Transfer the dough to a spritz cookie press fitted with the shape of your choice. Alternatively, put the dough in a piping bag and pipe it into strips.

5. 5

   Bake for 8 minutes total, until the bottoms are golden brown: bake on the bottom oven rack for the first 5 minutes, then move the pans to the top rack for the final 3 minutes.

6. 6

   Remove the crackers from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before serving.

Notes

The recipe makes 100+ small crackers; servings are estimated using the stated nutrition serving size of 3 crackers. Ensure the cheeses and butter are at room temperature so they incorporate properly and the dough has a suitable consistency for piping. Suggested variations include sharp cheddar instead of white cheddar, similar hard cheeses such as Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, or Asiago, or different seasonings. The author notes the batch can be halved for a smaller crowd.

Nutrition per serving

• snack
• vegetarian
• baked
• holiday
• cheesy