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Cheesy Pie Dough Crackers

Source of Recipe

From "To the Last Bite" by Alexis Deboschnek


Recipe Introduction

"If you're making a pie and have scraps left over, you're moments away from your very own impossibly addictive, flaky cheesy crackers. I like using cheddar, which makes these taste like a riff on Cheez-Its, but Gruy�re, Monterey Jack, or aged Gouda would all work. I've provided a recipe for a full batch of dough here if you want to serve a crowd, but if you're looking to use scraps, knead in roughly half the amount of cheddar for the amount of dough you have left. Don't forget to chill it before rolling the dough back out."

List of Ingredients

◦ 1 � cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
◦ � teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
◦ � cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
◦ 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
◦ � cup ice water



Recipe

In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, salt, and the pepper and pulse three times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until broken down to the size of lima beans. The bigger the pieces of butter, the flakier the dough will be. Add the cheddar and pulse until just combined. Slowly drizzle in the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough just starts to hold together. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a 5-inch disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The dough can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Preheat the oven to 400� F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 14-inch square. Cut the crackers into 1-inch squares and pierce a hole in the middle of each with a skewer or fork to prevent the crackers from puffing up too much while baking. Transfer the crackers to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes. Crackers stay fresh for up to 1 week in a sealed container at room temperature.

Serves 8






❧ Note:
If you don't have a food processor, you can make the dough by hand. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and pepper to combine. Add the butter and use your hands to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture, until the butter pieces are the size of lima beans. Add the cheddar cheese and toss to combine. Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time and use your hands to combine, lightly kneading until the dough just starts to hold together.