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Chipotle Cheddar Crackers

4.1

(13)

Ina Garten's chipotle cheddar cracker appetizer on a serving platter beside a glass of wine.
Justin J Wee

One of my go-to tricks is to keep some dough for slice-and-bake crackers in the freezer that I can throw in the oven when people are coming for drinks. The sharp Vermont Cheddar and spicy chipotle chili powder with crunchy sea salt really wake up everyone’s taste buds. My friends can’t stop eating these! —Ina Garten

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What you’ll need

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 24–28

Ingredients

¼

lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

½

lb. aged Cheddar, such as Grafton 2-year, grated

1

cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

½

tsp. ground chipotle powder

Kosher salt

Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place ¼ lb. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, ½ lb. aged Cheddar, grated, 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. ground chipotle powder, and 1 tsp. kosher salt. Add 1½ Tbsp. water and mix on low speed to combine the ingredients. Turn the mixer to medium and beat for 30 seconds, until the ingredients come together in big clumps.

    Step 2

    Transfer the dough to a lightly floured cutting board and roll it into a log 12" long by 1½" wide. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You can refrigerate the dough for several days or freeze it for up to 4 months.)

    Step 3

    When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°.

    Step 4

    Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Slice the dough ½" thick and place the rounds 1" apart on the parchment paper. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt and bake for 15 to 17 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on the sheet pans or a baking rack and serve at room temperature.

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Recipe excerpted from ‘Go-To Dinners: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook,’ by Ina Garten. To be published October 25, 2022 by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of The Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

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Reviews (13)

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  • Tasty....I doubled the recipe the night before. They were cold from the fridge when I cut to 1/4 inch. I cooked them on two cookies sheets with parchment at 350 for 15 minutes. Not even close to cooked. So I put them back in for another 5. After cooling they were still a bit soft. Definitely not crispy. More the consistency of a short bread. Everyone loved the flavor and they were a big hit. Next time, I might increase the oven temp and add a little more chipotle chili. i like them even more crisper.

    • Brad

    • Dallas, TX

    • 12/16/2023

  • Mine wouldn't come together to form a roll. I suspect it's the high altitude, low temp, and low humidity of Montana winter. Next time I'll use more liquid to help it bind. Hoping to salvage the crumbly mess into tasty toasted bits to sprinkle on soup.

    • Anonymous

    • Billings, MT

    • 2/5/2023

  • Possibly the easiest small bite to whip together for a dinner party. These were gobbled up immediately by everyone while their eyes were rolling in the back of their head with ecstasy. I used a scant teaspoon of chipotle liquid since I didn't have the powder on hand - worked out deliciously!

    • Kabes in the Bay

    • San Francisco, CA

    • 1/1/2023

  • These crackers will be an all time favorite. You do need to use good aged cheddar to get that wonderful flavor. The hit of chipotle and salt seals the deal. And, it is so easy to put together. What more do you need?

    • GailS

    • 12/19/2022

  • These crackers are amazing! Although I did cut them in 1/4” rounds rather than 1/2. It made them lighter and crispier… I also tried using Gouda cheese and they came out fabulous this way also! These are the best gosh darn appetizer crackers ever … just pull the roll out of the refrigerator, slice, bake and people just gobble them up!

    • Linda

    • Stockton, Ca

    • 11/26/2022

  • Brilliant! Quick and easy to make. Great texture and flavor. Huge hit at dinner tonight!

    • Suecq2

    • California

    • 11/25/2022

  • Easy do ahead project that taste great and fun to make.

    • Frankie

    • San Francisco

    • 11/22/2022