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This is a quick recipe that really delivers on flavor! The crackers have a soft delicate texture with just a hint of heat form the chilies. The best part, everything comes together in a food processor! I love having a bowl of these in the kitchen to snack on, but these are nice enough to serve with cocktails!
What you need:
Flour – To make the dough, you’ll want to start with All Purpose flour.
Salt – Kosher salt. Like usual, I use my favorite Mortons Coarse Kosher.
Baking Powder – This will give the dough just the right amount of rise in the oven.
Butter – I use unsalted European style butter, one block is the perfect amount for this recipe. Cut it into 1/2 inch dice and pop it back into the refrigerator until you are ready to use it-you want the butter to be cold!
Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese – This is one of the star ingredients! For best results, get a block of cheese and shred it yourself. Tillamook is my favorite brand for this recipe.
Serrano Chilies – The other star ingredient! Serranos are small, thin peppers that are a little spicier than jalapeños. Finely chop the chilies. If you are worried about the heat level, you can take out some of the ribs and seeds. Feel free to swap out with jalapeños.
Ice Water – This is what brings the dough together. Fill a glass with water and ice when you begin to dice the butter so it is totally chilled by the time you are ready to use it. Measure out 3 tablespoons into a small cup so you can pour it into the food processor all at once.
Egg Wash – The dough get an egg wash (one egg beaten with a splash of water) just before baking. This gives the crackers a shiny finish.
Flaky Salt – After the egg wash, sprinkle a little flaky salt on top (like Maldon) to finish.
How to make the crackers:
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 320 g all purpose flour
- 6 g salt
- 1 g baking powder
- 226 g butter unsalted, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 113 g extra sharp white cheddar cheese shredded
- 2 Serrano chilies finely chopped
- 3 tbsp ice water
- egg wash 1 egg beaten with a splash of water
- flaky salt Maldon
Instructions
- Pulse the flour, salt, and baking powder in a food processor to combine.
- Add the diced butter and pulse 12 times.
- Add the shredded cheese and chilies. Pulse 12 more times to evenly distribute.
- With the processor running, pour the ice water through the feed tube. Let the processor run just until the mixture forms a ball of dough.
- Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and press into a 8 x 8” square. Wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- On a well floured work surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle about 1/4” thick.
- With a fluted pastry wheel, cut out 1 1/2” squares.
- Transfer to a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Space the crackers about an inch apart (it usually takes me two trays). Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Brush an egg wash over the crackers and sprinkle a little flaky salt over the top. Use the blunt end of a skewer to poke a hole in the center of each square.
- Bake the crackers for 15 minutes at 400ºF, rotating the trays once. Enjoy warm, or allow to cool and store in an air tight container.
After a lifetime of trying all kinds of cheese crackers, Corey’s are without doubt the best I’ve ever had. Try them. You’ll be delighted and your guests will be thrilled!