I don’t have fond memories of cheddar wafers.
Sure, they taste delicious and are pretty much the simplest thing ever to bake, but when I was doing my culinary externship at a fancy schmancy yacht club in Florida, I was put on cheddar wafer duty.
Yes, cheddar wafer duty.
Once a week, I would spend four hours making a batch of 500 quarter-sized wafers. All the cheese had to be grated by hand (obviously) and once, I almost grated my finger off in the process. But that’s a different story for a different post. I sweated. I groaned. I ate a lot of cheese.
I haven’t so much as thought about cheddar wafers for two years now. Until yesterday afternoon, that is.
I was defrosting a tupperware full of black eyed pea stew and really wanted some sort of cracker/bread/cheese/thing to go with it. I ran out of my beloved Central Market green chili hatch tortilla chips last month and have been crying ever since.
So while I was pulling out random eye pillows and fig newtons from my fridge, I saw that I had a LOT of cheddar cheese. And by a lot, I mean three 16-oz bags.
sidenote: Chef would kill me if he knew I didn’t grate the cheese by hand for these crackers, but I’m pretty sure he has completely forgotten about both me and the cheddar wafers by now. Gulp.
The little cheesy wafer I came up with isn’t exactly the same as the ones I broke my back cranking out two years ago. That would be too painful. These are delicious though! And ridiculously quick to make.
They taste like cheese-its in the best way possible, and it’s very easy to eat an entire stack and then wonder where your life has gone. That was just me five minutes ago.
Has it been five minutes already? Oops.
I would serve these cheddar wafers with creamy tomato soup, black eyed pea stew, cheddar cheese, buffalo chicken dip (hellooo super bowl parties!), creamy white chicken chili and more cheddar cheese. ‘Cause you haven’t really lived until you’ve topped a homemade cheddar wafer with a big chunk of sharp cheddar cheese.
It’s snack time.
Cheddar Wafers
makes about 3 dozen small wafers
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
Preheat your oven to 350.
Whisk together the melted butter and eggs until creamy. Add the cheese and mix until combined. Add the baking powder, salt, white pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and flour and mix well.
Roll out dough onto a floured surface until it’s a little less than 1/4th inch thick. Cut out small circles with cookie cutters and place onto a parchment paper lined sheet tray.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.
**cheddar wafers are also easily baked and then stuck in the freezer, where they’ll stay fresh for up to three months.
Jessica @ How Sweet
February 2, 2011 at 5:02 amMy first thought was that I’d love to top a cheddar wafer with a big chunk of cheese. Glad to see that’s totally acceptable!
Heather (Heather's Dish)
February 2, 2011 at 5:03 ami feel like those would go perfectly with ranch…why? i don’t know…that’s just what we did in Texas! i like the cheese on the cheddar wafer idea though 😉
Beth @ Beth's Journey to Thin
February 2, 2011 at 5:10 amWow. These look amazing. I only discovered cheddar in crackers/biscuits with Dr. Krackers and I’ve been a convert ever since. So good!
Baking 'n' Books
February 2, 2011 at 5:13 amSo cheddar goes in them…and on top right? Cause that’s how I do my cheese 😉
I always associate cheddar with only orange cheese – not white! I want to make buns with cheese. Seen a recipe for Goat Cheese Biscuits…mmm…do Cheddar Rolls please?!
Kristen @ That Hoosier Girl
February 2, 2011 at 5:13 amThere’s definitely no shame in not grating your own cheese….or in topping a cheese cracker with more cheese. I would hold my head high and do both 😉
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 7:17 amif topping a cheese cracker with a ridiculously large amount of cheese is wrong, i never want to be right.
foodandfarm
February 2, 2011 at 5:13 amThese look amazing, and would go great with steak. or bacon.
Amanda (Eating Up)
February 2, 2011 at 5:16 amWafer is a funny word! These cheddar wafers are serious business though.
Estela @ Weekly Bite
February 2, 2011 at 5:17 amI love cheddar wafers! These look great 🙂
Stacy @ Every Little Thing
February 2, 2011 at 5:18 amYum, that would be a great snack for Super Bowl Sunday 🙂
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef
February 2, 2011 at 5:19 amoh goodness….these sound so great, as usual jenna!
Sarah (Running to Slow Things Down)
February 2, 2011 at 5:20 amThese look so tasty and impressive! I can’t wait to make a big ol’ batch. And I think I would buy the pregrated cheese as well. 😉
Meghan
February 2, 2011 at 5:21 amOh, I have to make these! I have a thing for any cheese cracker: goldfish, cheez-its, annie’s…at least there is real cheese in your recipe!
Blog is the New Black
February 2, 2011 at 5:23 amDeeeeliicous! Must make ASAP!
Lauren at KeepItSweet
February 2, 2011 at 5:27 amI’d make a meal of the crackers and cheese, forget the soup!
Jil @ Big City, Lil Kitchen
February 2, 2011 at 5:27 amOhh – these look incredible; they sort of remind me of biscuit tops, an appearance anyway!
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 7:14 amthey’re kinda flaky like biscuits too!
Teri @BeePie Runs
February 2, 2011 at 5:29 amI usually make cheese straws (growing up in the south does that to you) but they can be tedious with all the piping and cutting…. I definitely like the wafer better!
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat
February 2, 2011 at 5:34 amWow, that is a lot of cheddar wafers! They sound great though, and I’m going through a major soup phase so they’d be perfect!
Eliz@The Sweet Life
February 2, 2011 at 5:35 amOh my goodness those look almost like biscuits! Wow–heaven in the mouth.
Justeen @ Blissful Baking
February 2, 2011 at 5:44 amOh I loveee cheesy crackers! I make parmesan cornmeal crackers from time to time (extra parmesan of course!), but next time I’ll try these instead!
kaila @ healthy helper!
February 2, 2011 at 5:54 amthe only cheddar filled bread i have ever had are the cheddar bay biscuits at red lobster (haha not too gourmet and probably not homemade)……these wafers look delish though…..and i will have to try them out to expand my ‘cheddar filled’ repertoire!
Kristina
February 2, 2011 at 5:57 amThese look so delicious! I made Smitten Kitchen’s apple-cheddar scones a few months ago which was really my first foray into baking with cheddar cheese but it left me wanting more. These might have to be next.
Tracey @ I'm Not Superhuman
February 2, 2011 at 5:57 amThese look great. I think I’d eat them with tomato soup. That sounds like the perfect pairing.
Camille
February 2, 2011 at 6:04 amThese look awesome! I made something similar about 2 months ago and I ate every single one. As great as these look, I probably shouldn’t make them 🙂
The Blue-Eyed Bakers
February 2, 2011 at 6:06 amOooh we loooove cheddar wafers…! Usually with a fairly large cocktail…they’re just the perfect thing to snack on!
Maria
February 2, 2011 at 6:25 amCheddar makes everything better! Your recipes have been amazing lately!
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 7:14 amthank you so much! And yes, cheese does make everything better!
Beth @ DiningAndDishing
February 2, 2011 at 6:25 amWhenever a recipe calls for a lot of cheese I become lazy and buy it pre grated. I know it’s not the “right” way to do things but I swear there is no difference in taste! And time is money :).
Melomeals: Vegan for $3.33 a Day
February 2, 2011 at 6:27 amWhat a total nightmare making 500 of those day in and day out.
They’re so cute!
Sheri
February 2, 2011 at 6:36 amPerfect for me to make today! I’m snowed in. These will be great for our Superbowl party.
Thanks for posting this recipe!
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 7:12 amI think I’m going to serve them with my buffalo chicken dip for the super bowl!
Megan
February 2, 2011 at 6:40 amThose sound pretty fantastic!!
One of my new years resolutions was to try new recipes and this definitely qualifies! I just posted about how my resolutions are going, actually!
stacey-healthylife
February 2, 2011 at 7:36 amThose would be so impressive for a dinner party appetizer.
Sarah
February 2, 2011 at 7:37 amHi Jenna! I cant wait to make these. One question: Is 1 stick of butter a 1/2 cup or 1 cup? Thanks!
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 7:45 am1/2 cup! 🙂
Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete
February 2, 2011 at 7:46 amThese look absolutely ridiculous! In a good way! I’m going to attempt to make the gluten free version, and see how it turns out! Wahoo!
Lori @ According to Gus
February 2, 2011 at 7:49 amThese sound amazing! I’m printing the recipe to give them a try this weekend.
P.S. I live in San Antonio so luckily have a Central Market in the city. I LOVE their Hatch Chile Festival. In one visit we bought the actual hatch peppers, hatch scones, hatch bread, hatch popcorn, hatch tamales, hatch cheese and about 10 more hatch related items.!
Marie-JourneytoBodyZen
February 2, 2011 at 7:53 amOmg! I wish I wasn’t snowed in right now! All I need is a stick of butter and I could make these. Dang!!! They would go perfect with my veggie spaghetti 😉
Marie-JourneytoBodyZen
February 2, 2011 at 11:52 amI ventured out and got the butter :). I’m making these right now!
Maria
February 2, 2011 at 8:01 amI could eat the entire batch!
sarah (sarah learns)
February 2, 2011 at 8:02 ami have a snow day today and i’m TOTALLY making these! i can’t wait!!
Coco
February 2, 2011 at 8:04 amNot a fan of cheddar. However, I am a HUGE fan of YOU!
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 8:13 amaww! well thank you!
Jess
February 2, 2011 at 8:08 ami can never get enough cheddar cheese in my life. these will surely make an appearance in my kitchen soon.
Courtney @ The Granola Chronicles
February 2, 2011 at 8:19 amGive me cheese, and I’m a happy girl! I would never even think about making something like this, so thanks for the inspiration…they look delicious!
Liz @ Tip Top Shape
February 2, 2011 at 8:41 amThese sound great!!! Perfect with soup 😀
sonia
February 2, 2011 at 9:41 amThese are truly amazing waffles…loving every single bit of it and wish it could fly to me !
Natalia - a side of simple
February 2, 2011 at 10:00 amCheese on cheese? As if nutella on chocolate didn’t give me reason enough to live, now I have this. Perfect. 🙂
Ashley @ perfectleypeared
February 2, 2011 at 10:09 amthese look absolutely amazing – and so light that you can pop one (or five) in your mouth at once! 🙂 could you substitute black pepper for the white pepper though?
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 11:46 amyou totally can!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey
February 2, 2011 at 10:38 amThis reminds me of the cheddar biscuits you get at red lobster but in cracker form. I love it.
Moni'sMeals
February 2, 2011 at 10:38 amSERIOUSLY! I love this idea. I have not made homemade anything like this and I would love to try this recipe. cheese and 1 stick of butter, how can it go wrong. 🙂
Kelsey @ Snacking Squirrel
February 2, 2011 at 11:10 amwayyyyyy cooler looking than ritz crackers! wow you can even see the little cheesy bits in there!!! damn, pack them up and get them on store shelves asap- theyre THAT good <3
xoxo
Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga)
February 2, 2011 at 11:20 amcheddar wafer duty = sounds like you can laugh now, but back in the day, making them for fancy schmancy yacht people and nearly grating off your finger doesnt sound fun!
this recipe and the fact that they can be frozen….very nice!
🙂
Joanne
February 2, 2011 at 11:25 amI might have to eat these ritz bitz style. WIth PB in between them. Or PB and an apple slice. How fantastical would that be….
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 11:45 amyes!!
Lu @ Done Dieting
February 2, 2011 at 11:35 amCould there be anything more perfect than these? I think not. I bet they would taste awesome with just a shmear of apple butter.
jenna
February 2, 2011 at 11:45 amapple butter! I love apples and cheddar..that sounds divine!
Lacey @ Lake Life
February 2, 2011 at 12:53 pmI saw everyone on the FB page saying they were going to make your “Cheddar Wafers” for the Superbowl and I thought I had somehow missed the recipe. So happy that I didn’t 🙂
Gracie
February 2, 2011 at 1:02 pmInteresting! I’ll have to try this and compare it to a Cheddar Biscuit Recipe I found a while back in the NYTimes.
Chelsea @ One Healthy Munchkin
February 2, 2011 at 3:25 pmI’m a disaster around graters. I’m always grating my knuckles/nails/finger tips. These wafers look worth the risk though. Or maybe I’ll cheat and buy pregrated cheese. 😛
britt
February 2, 2011 at 3:52 pmi LOVE cheddar wafers. i made some that were similar to these a few months back but they had worstershire sauce in them and tasted like a vegetarian version of sausage cheese balls. yumm!! i will have to try your version now.
Vegolicious
February 3, 2011 at 3:08 amThese wafers look delicious….and I am sure they are addictive too.
I’d love for your to submit them to Vegolicious, a vegetarian food photo gallery where readers can browse beautiful photos to discover new recipes and wonderful blogs. If you would like to share this recipe with our readers please submit a photo along with a link to this post.
Maria @ The Fitted Apron
February 3, 2011 at 8:31 amJenna,
What a perfect biscuit to pair with soups and such when bread is too much. Reminds me of a cracker.
lea w.
February 5, 2011 at 7:09 pmmy name is lea and i love your blog those look so good my mom and i might have to make my dad some while he watches super bowl tomorrow………
Ashley @ YogaVet
February 13, 2011 at 8:51 amJust gotta say, I made these delightful little wafers last night, and they are everything you promised! Kinda spicy, and cheesey, and crunchy… yum! My boyfriend took a bag of them with him this morning to go to a Brew Fest in Buffalo (rough life, I know… I’m on call, alas, and can’t go with him)… I think they will be a perfect snack with some good microbrews.
Thanks for all the great recipes, Jenna!
Cheddar Wafers
February 18, 2011 at 2:42 am[…] Source: Food, live and Run […]
Yelena
February 19, 2011 at 12:29 pmHi Jenna,
I just tried making these wafers and unfortunately the dough came out super crumbly and dry. Are you using a 4 oz stick of butter? Am I missing something? They look great!
MaCee
June 2, 2012 at 4:09 pmi just melted a little extra butter (tub butter) to pick up the leftover flour in the bowl.
Gaby
March 31, 2011 at 11:13 pmI just made these and I have no idea what I did wrong, they didn’t turn out very good 🙁
I’ve been reading and reading the recipe all over again trying to figure out what went wrong but have no clue 🙁
Damn!! I was so looking forward to eating them!
Cheddar Crackers « Reini Days
June 1, 2012 at 6:05 am[…] Cheddar Crackers. There are a few recipes floating around, and, of course, I tried them all. My favorite ones are from Eat, Live, Run. They’re cheesy, crispy, garlicky, and oh, so, […]
MaCee
June 2, 2012 at 4:07 pmoh my. 🙂 this was delicious. i found this recipe a long time ago but just made it for the first time today. i had a little trouble in the beginning because my butter wasn’t melted enough so it looked like some awful cottage cheese. i went ahead anyway & it still worked.
i melted some butter & brushed it on after they cooked. later i did it before they cooked (ha, and after. so healthy! ;]). it was magical. i also recommend cutting them into squares, sort of like a graham cracker but smaller. they are divine. i’ve never had pita bread but i would imagine it something like that.
Cheddar Crackers | Reini Days
July 24, 2012 at 6:27 am[…] Cheddar Crackers. There are a few recipes floating around, and, of course, I tried them all. My favorite ones are from Eat, Live, Run. They’re cheesy, crispy, garlicky, and oh, so, […]
Gretchen
November 1, 2013 at 10:45 amIf I freeze these, how would I serve them?
Just defrosted or warmed up in the oven, if so, what temp & time?
Thank you for your post, I am trying to be ready in advance for hosting Thanksgiving this year. Here’s praying!
sue griffore
February 24, 2018 at 6:50 pmI hope this site is still active…………. Do you think it would be possible to use almond flour? Trying to avoid grain. These look and sound so interesting……..and good. Would appreciate your opinion. Thank you