Crunchy Cheese Wafers

Name: Crunchy Cheese Wafers
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 41 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (8-ounces, 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups (8-ounces) shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese (See Tip 1); 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt (See Tip 2); ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 cups (10-ounces) all-purpose flour; 2 cups (2-ounces) Rice Krispies

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Crunchy Cheese Wafers are buttery and crispy like cheese straws with the crunch supplied by Rice Krispies. These little morsels are totally addictive and make the perfect appetizer for any occasion. Bet you can’t eat just one!

Ingredients

You are likely to have most if not all of the ingredients required for these tasty morsels:

The Dough: For the basic dough I used only unsalted butter and all-purpose flour. This makes the final wafers buttery and crispy.
The Flavorings: To flavor the dough, I used salt, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper.
The Cheese: I like to use extra sharp Cheddar cheese in these wafers. It provides a depth of flavor that takes the cheese wafers over the top.
The Crunch: As I previously indicated, I used Rice Krispies to provide the crunch.

Making the Dough for the Crunchy Cheese Wafers

I started by adding the butter, cheese, salt, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Then, I beat the ingredients on high with my electric mixer until they were smooth and creamy.

Adding Worcestershire sauce to butter, cheese and salt in a large bowl.

Next, I added the flour to the butter/cheese mixture. I beat this in low just until the flour was incorporated.

Adding flour to the butter/cheese mixture.

Once the flour was incorporated into the butter/cheese mixture, I added the Rice Krispies.

Adding Rice Krispies to cheese wafer dough.

I’ve consistently found that the best way to incorporate the Rice Krispies into the dough was to use my hands.

Using hands to incorporate the Rice Krispies into the dough

Finishing the Cheese Wafers

Once the dough was ready, I used my smallest ice cream scoop (2-teaspoon scoop) to partition the dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Once I had scooped the dough, I rolled each piece into a ball with my dampened hands.

Making dough balls with small ice cream scoop

Finally, I flattened each dough ball with my dampened fingers. I always flatten the dough to ensure that the cheese wafers are crispy throughout. The reason that I make sure that my fingers are dampened is that the dampened fingers won’t stick to the dough.

Flattening the cheese wafer dough with dampened fingers.

I popped the cheese wafers into a preheated 350°F oven and baked them for about 16 minutes. After 16 minutes, they were golden brown and perfectly baked.

I removed the cheese wafers from the oven and transferred them to a wire rack to cool completely.

I ended up with 6 dozen of the most amazing Crunchy Cheese Wafers. They were super buttery with a delicate crispy texture. One bite and the Master Taste Tester was totally hooked. You will be as well. Yum!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can regular or sharp Cheddar cheese be used instead of extra sharp Cheddar cheese?

I like to use extra sharp Cheddar cheese in making these wafers because of the depth of flavor. However, you could also use regular or sharp Cheddar cheese.

Can I substitute salted butter for the unsalted butter?

I generally use unsalted butter in my recipes. However, salted butter will work fine. If you use salted butter, I would reduce the amount of salt by ¼ teaspoon.

Is it really necessary to roll the dough into balls?

I like for my wafers to have a nice shape. By rolling the dough into balls, I’m much more likely to get consistent round shapes. However, that’s a personal preference.

Is it really necessary to flatten the dough before baking the wafers?

I like my cheese wafers to be crispy. The dough doesn’t flatten or spread much on its own. Therefore, the reason that I flatten the dough is to ensure that the wafers will be crispy.

Other Cheesy Appetizers

If you like cheese as much as I do, you should check out these recipes for other amazing appetizers featuring cheese.

Southern Cheese Straws: Cheese Straws are a highly addictive southern classic. Crispy and buttery, Southern Cheese Straws are amazing when paired with a dry sherry, or just by themselves. It’s impossible to eat just one!
Wonton Mac & Cheese Bites: Wonton Mac & Cheese Bites take the ultimate comfort food to new levels. They are the perfect appetizer for young and old. Three-cheese macaroni and cheese is packaged in a crispy wonton cup and topped with melted cheese and crumbled bacon. What’s even better is that they can be made ahead of time, frozen and reheated just in time to WOW your friends and family.
Easy Cheesy Sausage Balls: Easy Cheesy Sausage Balls are a perfect appetizer. With only three ingredients, these little gems have it all. They’re super simple to make, taste incredible warm or at room temperature, freeze beautifully, and are just as good reheated. Who could ask for more?
Tasty Southern Pimento Cheese: Tasty Southern Pimento Cheese will take you back to your childhood days in the South. It’s about as Southern as things come, and uses only 5 ingredients. Tasty Southern Pimento Cheese takes minutes to make, and is amazingly versatile.
Marinated Cheese: Marinated Cheese is an appetizer that is sure to Wow your guests. It has alternating layers of sharp Cheddar cheese and cream cheese, topped with an incredible marinade. Marinated cheese is a snap to make, and is awesome to serve.
Sausage ‘n Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms: Ifyou like sausage, cheese, and mushrooms, you will absolutely love these Sausage n’Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms. They can be made ahead of time and popped into the oven in time for your anytime gathering.
White Queso Dip: White Queso Dip is like the queso cheese dip served at your favorite Mexican restaurant, only better. This super simple dip takes only minutes to make and and is amazingly versatile. You are going to love this super simple restaurant quality Mexican white sauce.
Make Ahead Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip: For many, watching the Super Bowl is an excuse to devour this amazing Make Ahead Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Dip. It tastes like the ever-popular Buffalo Chicken Wings, but without the fuss and mess. This tangy and cheesy dip takes minutes to put together. It can be made ahead of time and heated to bubbly perfection right before big game.
Bacon Jalapeño Popper Dip: Bacon Jalapeño Popper Dip is the perfect appetizer for the busy holiday season and ultimate holiday feast. It’s creamy and cheesy, and full of bacon and jalapeño peppers. Bacon Jalapeno Popper Dip is easy to put together, can be made ahead of time and will likely be the first appetizer to disappear.
Fromage Fort: Fromage Fort, meaning “strong cheese” in French, is an easy and delicious cheese spread made with leftover cheeses that are in your refrigerator. It literally takes minutes to put together and produces an awesome appetizer that your guests will rave about.
Wonton Jalapeño Popper Bites: If you like jalapeño poppers, you’ll absolutely love Wonton Jalapeño Popper Bites. The wonton wraps are stuffed with an amazing filling and baked to crispy perfection. They’re super easy to make, and can be eaten hot, warm, or cold. What’s even better is that they can be made ahead of time, and reheated for 5 minutes before serving.

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