OK, I’ve officially gone crackers. Cheese Crackers to be exact. I needed a tasty make-ahead appetizer for a party recently so I whipped up a zingy little cracker that stands alone without cheese, ‘cause the cheese is baked right in. So if you’re having a Super Bowl party you can cut them out with a football shaped cookie cutter, or if you’re having just a quiet dinner at home for Valentine’s Day you can make ‘em into hearts. Either way, they are a crowd pleaser.

Did I mention they’re really good with wine? But then again, what isn’t?

Nutty Cheese Crackers

Makes about 2 ½ dozen

Ingredients

6 TB. flour

¼ tsp. kosher or sea salt

¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (less if you have an aversion to hot)

2 oz. Gruyere or good quality Swiss cheese, shredded

2 TB. unsalted butter, softened

1 TB. heavy cream

1 egg white, lightly beaten

½ cup nuts (pecans, walnuts or blanched almonds)

Instructions

Pulse flour, salt and chili flakes in food processor until blended. Add cheese, cream and butter and pulse until dough holds together, about 10 seconds. Fold dough in a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill for 1 hour.

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a couple of cookie sheets with parchment. Flour your work surface and roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness. Using the ~ 2” cookie cutter of your choice – round, star, heart or football – cut out the crackers and using a spatula transfer them to the cookie sheets. Combine the scraps and re-roll them to use them all up. Dip the bottom of the nuts you’re using in egg white and press into the tops of the crackers. Use several blanched almonds placed parallel to each other to imitate football laces, stars look pretty with pecans.

Bake until firm and crisp, about 15 minutes. Let cool before serving. These can be stored in an airtight container for several days (but I suggest you hide them or they’ll disappear). They also freeze well.

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Did I mention they’re really good with wine? But then again, what isn’t?

Stay warm and enjoy!

Deborah