Lacy Baked Cheese Crisps

If, like me, you love the taste of "burnt" cheese, you will go crazy over these cheese crisps.
They are easy to make. You know you want to try it—what's stopping you?
    FREE! Printable Art Lesson when you subscribe to Wee Packet Mini-Newsletter.

    Wee Packet

    Mini-Newsletter
    Bi-Weekly Little Bits—Uplifting, Creative, Fun

Wine and cheese are ageless companions, like aspirin and aches, or June and moon, or good people and noble adventures.   
                                 —M.F.K. Fisher

10 Simple Steps to a Healthy Snack

BakedThree Cheese Crisps with Browned Edges
Healthy snack? Well, in comparison to salty, greasy potato chips or Fritos, baked cheese crisps are on the healthier side. Why? They are made with cheese only—no added salt or oils. Cheese is natural protein and dairy fats. A little goes a long way and is absolutely delicious.
Ingredients and Necessaries
  • Grated or Shaved Cheese
  • Parchment Paper
  • Cookie sheets
1. Choose the Your Favorite Cheeses
  The best cheese crisps are dry and crispy, not oily. Look for aged dry cheeses, such as parmesan, asiago, and robusto, which is especially tasty. You can mix two or more cheeses, such as three-cheese parmesan, romano, and asiago. You can make cheese crisps with other kinds of cheese, as well. I’ve tried aged cheddar and Jarlsberg swiss, but the oils tend to separate and make a greasier snack.
2. Preheat Oven
  Go ahead and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the shelves in the middle of the oven for best results.
3. Grate the Cheese
  Grate the cheese coarsely or finely, whichever you choose. The appearance is slightly different, but tastes and bakes the same. The cheese should be in shreds, not crumbles or “dust” as happens with dried parmesan. Or you can buy cheeses that are already shredded or shaved. 
4. Mix-Ins, Add-Ins
  Cheese crisps are tasty just plain, but you might like to vary the blend. Try different mixes of cheeses to get different flavors. Or mix in seasonings to the grated cheese. Try garlic powder, your favorite spices, powdered ranch dressing mix, or chili powder for just a few ideas. Parmesan with dried basil added in is wonderful, tasting a bit like pesto. Toss it all together in a bowl. Do not, however, add additional salt. The cheeses are plenty salty by nature.
5. Line with Parchment Paper
  Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. It MUST be parchment paper, not foil, or baking spray. They won’t work. The cheese simply won’t crisp up.
6. Place Small Amounts
  Form about a teaspoon of the cheese into a small pile or mound, like a large gumdrop-size. Leave quite a bit of space between mounds on the pan. The cheese spreads and melts out widely.
7. Bake and Watch
  Place the pan(s) into the preheated oven, middle shelves. Bake for about 5-7 minutes. Check the crisps—they should be flat and browned. If the edges look “burnt,” so much the better. It tastes great. If the cheese is not browned up, they will not be crisps. The effect is more chewy and oily. Still tastes great, though. Continue peeking and watching until they are browned. Different cheeses may take different amounts of time.
8. Let Cool
  Take the pans out of the oven. The cheese will still be a bit soft. Slide the parchment paper off of the pans onto a cool surface. Wait for a few minutes for the cheese to cool. The cheese will be stiff and crispy when cool. Simply slide the crisps off the parchment paper onto a plate.
9. Dips and Toppings
  Cheese crisps are delicious as a snack, plain. Or you can make delicious party treats by coupling with a creamy dip, such as artichoke dip. Pesto, roasted red pepper Greek yogurt, cream cheese and hot pepper jelly, or even yogurt and fruit are all good with cheese crisps.
10. Fun Ideas
  Cheese crisps are so easy and quick to make that it is fun to “customize” them.
  • How about crispy cheese cups? Immediately after removing from the oven, quickly drape the melted cheese over upside down cups or spoons. When cool the crisps will hold a creamy dip or be shaped for dipping.
  • Instead of shredding the cheese, cut VERY thin slices and bake the whole slices.
  • Try layering or mixing yellow and white cheeses.
Cheese crisps are an oven-baked version of the Italian frico, which is thin rounds of baked cheese. Hard Italian cheeses do seem to work best. But don’t be afraid to experiment with any cheese you like. Personally, I love the taste of burnt swiss cheese, though it does seem to bit a bit more greasy.

Enjoy the cheese crisps as a party treat or anytime snack. Did I mention that they taste great? Another recipe for a healthy snack that is quick and easy is How to Make Baked Kale Chips.

Did you enjoy this SimpleTens article? Read more articles about food trends in LifeStyle.

Comments

Have a response to this SimpleTens recipe for Cheese Crisps? Add your Question or Comment HERE.