I made these little wafer crackers for Lily a couple of weeks ago and they were a hit. She loves cheese (or, chesssss as she calls it), and is obsessed with crackers. Annie's Bunnies are pretty much a staple in this house, but - and stop me if I'm wrong - isn't $4 for a box of crackers a little ridiculous? Yes, they are organic. I understand that, and try to stick to mostly organic for the tot, but $4?! Especially considering half the box ends up on the floor/ in Buster's belly. So, I made my own darn crackers. And Lily liked them just the same (maybe more, if that's possible). AND her mom and dad loved the wafers, too, and ended up stealing most of them. It's like stealing candy cheddar from a baby...
The best part about these wafers is that you can make them into any shape you want, any size you please, and you can even make cheese straws. Or, if you want to get really crazy, use a different kind of cheese! Think pepper jack. Yum.
Ok, stop listening to my blathering and go make some cheddar wafers!
Cheddar Cheese Wafers
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional - I obviously didn't put them in for Lily's crackers) 1 tablespoon half-and-half or cream
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and red pepper (if you're using it) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the half-and-half and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Now you can use cookie cutters, a knife, or a pizza roller to shape the dough however you like. Gently transfer the crackers to an ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment, leaving at least 1/4-inch between them.
Bake on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are barely browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a rack to cool.
Serve at room temperature. These will keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, for two days (if you don't eat them all!).
Source: Smitten Kitchen
