My Motto

May the muffin rise to greet you, may your friends be always at your door, and until we meet again, warm a single-malt in the palm of your hand and make something homemade for someone you love.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Cheddar Cookies (AKA The World's Best Cheezits!)

"If I had to give up cheese or chocolate, I'd give up chocolate in a heartbeat."
~Amanda Peet




This post is for my friend Kate, who tweets as @CoastalKate and was looking for a finger food for a holiday office party.  It was just the kick in the pants I needed to try this recipe which has been tucked in my Christmas cookbook for, well, who knows how long.  It is handwritten, and says "Cheddar Cookies AKA June's Secret Cocktail  Cookies" at the top.  I have no idea who June is, don't know a June and cannot remember when I wrote this down or where I obtained it.  Many apologies to June, but apparently it was no longer a secret, since I must have gotten it somewhere!  I thought of them for Kate, but would never recommend a recipe with actually trying it, so I made them today.  Oh, fortunate me! (munch, munch, munch)
Let me just say....THEY ARE AMAZING!  If you like sharp cheddar, then I think it is virtually impossible to dislike these cookies....which, by the way, are light, flaky, crisp and cheesy with just the perfect amount of heat.  Kind of like the cheese straws you sometimes find in gourmet baskets, but better.  They are traditionally served at cocktail parties and would be great at a holiday party, as they are simply elegant.  I tucked some in the box of treats I'm mailing off tomorrow to Curtis for final exam snacks.  He loves Cheezits, so c'mon, why not?  These are some serious home-made cheezits!  For these you will want to buy a nice sharp cheddar, I used Vermont Sharp white cheddar, grated it myself and they were perfect.  I find that when I grate the cheese myself, it melts much better than the pre-grated stuff in the bags.


Cheddar Cookies


1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup flour
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer.  Add the flour, cayenne pepper and salt and mix in.  It will look crumbly.  Mix with your hands, just a little, until it starts to clump, then mix in the cheddar with your hands.  Roll into balls (about 2 teaspoons of dough) and place on cookie sheet.  Find a glass with a flat bottom and use it to flatten the balls.  Dip bottom of glass in flour, and press all the dough balls down, periodically flouring the bottom of the glass, so the cookies won't stick.


Bake for 15 minutes.  Makes 30 cookies.  Serve at room temperature and store in an airtight container.



19 comments:

El said...

These look amazing. Can't wait to try them!

Biren @ Roti n Rice said...

I love these cookies! They are very similar to the ones I make. I normally make a batch of savory cookie for the holidays just so that not everything is sweet. Great idea about grating your own cheese. It is probably fresher that way :)

I'm Just Saying said...

Again.. not only an interesting recipe.. but fantastic pictures to entice us to make. Thanks so much for all the attention to detail..

leslie (crookedstamper) said...

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, cheeeeeeeese..........

Boulder Locavore said...

What a clever and delicious sounding dish! I love the idea of the Cheezit taste with a kick but not with the ingredients of Cheezits (ick). Can't wait to try to make these. Thanks!

Margaret Murphy Tripp said...

@El: Thank you!
@Biren: Yes, something savory amidst the sweets is a welcome reprieve.
@Thank you...so glad you like them!
@I'm: Haha...I know, huh?
@Boulder: Thanks much....hope you get a chance to make them!

that girl jen said...

thanks to the cabotcooop i found your blog and this great little recipe! your photos are so enticing- that i'm making some of these this weekend!! although i don't think i'll need an air-tight container, something tells me these are going to be eaten up pretty fast in my house!

Margaret Murphy Tripp said...

Jen, Thanks for stopping by! You're right, they disappear quickly!

Di said...

Ooh, I need to try these! I love all things cheesy. =)

Margaret Murphy Tripp said...

@Di: Me too! So far, everyone who has tried them (here) has loved them!

Anna Johnston said...

This is it! Yes, yes, yes!!! Some of my gurly friends & I are doing a little cocktail party & I've been looking around for a nice savoury (& simple) cookie...., was going to call it a biscuit but you folk call them cookies..., so cookie it is :) This time of year everyone's into the sweet cakes & cookies..., but I sorta think a good cheesy cookie goes a long way & just the thing when one is so elegantly (tra-de-lah) holding glass of wine in one hand. Thanks Margaret..., your a champ :)

Margaret Murphy Tripp said...

Sounds like a great party Anna! Hope you and the girls have a lovely time...enjoy the cookies!

tera said...

Got pointed here for you recipe by Crooked Stamper...these look yummy and we have lots of family in town for the next week or so, so I will surely be trying my hand at these. I don't bake, normally, but they look very simple, so bonus for me! :)

Cute blog. I will be back!

Margaret Murphy Tripp said...

Hi Tera,
They are simple & quite delicious! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Thanks for stopping by.

Robyn | Add a Pinch said...

These look out of this world! I can't wait to try them.

Thanks so much for joining in on Mingle Monday! I hope you have a great Christmas week.

Joy said...

Can't wait to try them! I know my hubby would love them, as much as he loves cheese! LOL

Jamie said...

Boy oh boy yes! I love Cheddar but I also live with two cheese freaks! They would love these (as would I). You make them really sound like the most fabulous snack which makes them doubly tempting! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!

Margaret Murphy Tripp said...

Hi Jamie,
They really were a huge hit! Thanks and happy new year!

J. Allison said...

These were a family tradition in our home for as long as I can remember (over 40 years) - the only difference is we put start the cookies as a ball and press a pecan into them. Thank you for posting this as I am inbetween selling and buying a home and my cookbooks are in storage and I could not remember the cheese/butter/flour proportions!