Southern Cuisine: Holle's Cheese Wafers
My family and I really like cheese wafers, or cheese crispies, or cheese straws, or cheese cookies – whatever you want to call them, they’re all delicious! I make them often for parties. I’ve always used my mom’s recipe that requires Rice Krispies cereal. A couple of weeks ago, my daughter went to the grocery store for me to get ingredients for some Christmas goodies I was planning to make. She forgot to get the cereal!
I’m nothing if not inventive. I decided I could figure out my own recipe for cheese wafers, and I did! We actually like these better than the old recipe. When I took the first batch out of the oven, I thought Johnny was going to eat the whole pan right then and there.
For the best wafers, use the best cheese! This is quick and easy cooking, and these little morsels are delicious. They're perfect for a Super Bowl party, a Christmas party, or any get-together. Anyway, here’s my recipe:
Holle’s Cheese Wafers
What you’ll need:
1 stick of salted butter, softened (use REAL butter)
2 cups finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 ½ cups plain flour
1 teaspoon Lowry’s garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground red pepper (or more!)
Finely chopped pecans (optional)
A few drops of water
Place all ingredients except the water in a large bowl. Work the mixture with your hands until it’s well blended and it sticks together. I had to add just a few drops of water. If you’re planning on forming the dough into fancy straws or rosettes with a pastry tube, you might need to add a little more water.
Roll the dough into balls. I did mine about an inch in diameter. Place the balls on an ungreased nonstick cookie sheet. Use the tines of a fork to flatten the balls. I flatten mine to about ¼ or 1/3 inch. If you want crispier wafers, you’ll probably want to make them thinner.
Bake in a preheated oven at 300 degrees. For soft wafers, bake about 11 minutes. For crispy wafers, bake a little longer.
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