This easy 4-ingredient recipe for pimiento cheese crackers makes a great appetizer for a crowd!
I'm in full swing with the fall season. I've been sharing 1. Apples - Sautéed chicken and apples and fruity homemade applesauce; 2. Pumpkins - Pumpkin baked oatmeal with chocolate chips (and many more pumpkin things to come); and even 3. Halloween - my silly string cheese spider snacks.
And what else is it? Football season! I've already been to my first game - can't beat an afternoon at the stadium!
And in celebration of all things football, I’ve joined a group of bloggers from all over the country — all of whom are big football fans! — to bring you football-inspired recipes this season. Last month we shared our favorite tailgating recipes -- for which I featured my easy chicken roll-ups -- and now we are sharing more than 60 recipes ideas for celebrating on game day.
I love me some game day eats, like my cheesy baked black bean dip, veggie-loaded pizza dip and easy vegetable squares.
And for our festive game day collaboration, I, of course, am representing my hometown Carolina Panthers team. And guys, it took me FOREVER to decide on what to make.
I literally had a list of about 15 ideas as well as some other just general categories. I kept waffling back and forth on what to make, what to choose, how to pick just one thing.
So many Southern favorites, so many Southern foods to use, so many different ideas.
I was feeling paralyzed by all the choices and then I decided I had to start making decisions.
Pimiento cheese. That’s what I would do. Something with pimiento cheese. And trust me, this only slightly narrowed it down because I had so many different ideas using pimiento cheese. (One of which I simply HAVE to make happen for you. Another day.)
But these homemade cheese crackers are my pick today. They're just 4 ingredients — pimiento cheese, butter, flour and salt — they can be made ahead and they are unbelievably delicious.
They have a crunchy outside and a buttery soft, smooth texture inside. They kinda melt in your mouth.
They work as a stand-alone for snacking but I highly recommend you serve them with some extra pimiento cheese. Because putting pimiento cheese on your pimiento cheese crackers is crazy satisfying.
If you’ve got some cooked, crumbled bacon laying around, you could take these over the top. I might have to do that one game day when it’s not just me eating an entire batch of these for lunch. #whoops
A few notes on these pimiento cheese crackers:
- You can use homemade pimiento cheese (I included a basic recipe below) or pick some up from the store, which I’ve been known to do from time to time. Cause I live in the South.
- I used white whole wheat flour, cause that’s just how I roll, but all purpose flour would be fine, too. A gluten-free all-purpose flour mix should work as well.
- Don’t slice the crackers too thin. They spread out just a tad while baking and the thin ones will be too crumbly. I had some that were ¼-inch thick and they didn’t hold up well. They should be about â…“ inch thick to cook through and hold together.
- Let the cheese crackers cool completely on the pan before you remove them or try to serve them. This helps them set up and stay together.
- Be sure to slice and bake these straight from the fridge. Don’t let your cheese loaf sit out too long — you want the butter to be nice and cold still when the crackers go in the oven.
- Mine take 20 minutes, but check them after 18. They’re ready when they’re light brown around the edges.
- If your oven doesn’t cook evenly from side to side or front to back, you can rotate your pan halfway through the cooking time so these all turn out.
- You should double or triple the recipe for a crowd. They will go fast!
Get a taste of the South, a taste of the Carolinas, with this easy recipe and be sure to check out my fellow food bloggers’ recipes below for their favorite teams.
Enjoy!
~ Kathryn
Easy pimiento cheese crackers
Easy 4-ingredient pimiento cheese crackers are a great make-ahead appetizer recipe!
Ingredients
- ½ cup pimiento cheese (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
- 1 cup flour (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Extra pimiento cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together softened butter and pimiento cheese until well combined.
- Add flour and salt and stir to combine.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Form a long (about 1 ½ inches in diameter) then roll the log in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, until hardened.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Remove the cheese log from the fridge, unwrap and slice into â…“-inch wide crackers. Place crackers on an ungreased baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350 for 18-22 minutes, until light brown around the edges.
- Remove and let cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring. (This helps the crackers set up so they don’t crumble.)
Notes
I use white whole wheat flour but all-purpose flour would be fine. An all-purpose gluten-free mix should work as well.
You can double or triple the recipe for a crowd - they will go fast!
Want to make your own pimiento cheese? Here's a basic recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup mayonnaise
1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimientos, drained
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Refrigerate for at least two hours to let it firm up.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
15Serving Size:
1 crackerAmount Per Serving: Calories: 128Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 125mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g
Note: This post is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by the National Football League (NFL) or any of its teams. All opinions and views expressed on our blogs are our own, not that of the NFL and/or any of its 32 teams. Any team names, logos or other symbols referenced are properties of their respective organizations. We are just big fans — and we want to share our love for our teams, the game and the food that brings us all together on game day.
Red Sea Party Punch by Celebrating Family
Bird Gang Sonoran Nachos by Love Bakes Good Cakes
GameDay Cheesecake Bars by Body Rebooted
Healthy Dirty Bird Dip by Dash of Herbs
Purple Potato Salad by The Culinary Compass
Chocolate Blackberry Cheesecake Parfait by Mom's Messy Miracles
Easy Buffalo Chicken Sliders by Beer Girl Cooks
Quick and Easy Baked Buffalo Chicken Sliders by The Life Jolie
Blackened Steak + Blue Cheese Nachos by Feast + West
Easy pimiento cheese crackers by Family Food on the Table
Chicago-Style Deep Dish Breadsticks by Honey & Birch
Italian Beef by Bread Booze Bacon
Welcome to the Jungle Cocktail by Love & Flour
Bengal Striped Bundt Cake by Foodtastic Mom
Polish Boy Potato Skins by A Mind Full Mom
Sweet and Salty Brownies by The Secret Ingredient Is
Cowboy Cookies by The BakerMama
Cowboy Chili by See Aimee Cook
Green Chili Pulled Pork Cheese Fries by Cake 'n Knife
Blue and Orange Jello Shot Gummies by Sustaining the Powers
Greek Town Loaded Potato Skins by The Mexitalian
Marbled Scotcharoos by Club Narwhal
Beer Cheese Fondue by Off the Eaten Path
Easy Beer Cheese Soup by Hello Little Home
Chicken Stack Sandwich by Around My Family Table
Spicy Pub Mustard by What A Girl Eats
Game Day Cupcakes by Polka Dotted Blue Jay
Brownie Batter Dip by The Crumby Cupcake
Chocolate Coconut Cupcakes by Two Places at Once
Spicy Jalapeno Popper Cheese Dip with Real Cheese by Simplify, Live, Love
Game Day Snack Tray by Coffee Love Travel
Bacon Mac n Cheese Cups by West via Midwest
South Beach Punch by 2 Cookin Mamas
Miami Mahi Mahi Sandwich by foodbyjonister
Swedish Meatball Dip with Tater Tot Dunkers by Peanut Blossom
Fruity Dessert Pizza with Peanut Butter Chocolate Glaze by Bucket List Tummy
New England Rum Punch by Order in the Kitchen
Crawfish Etouffee by The Speckled Palate
Cajun Crawfish and Corn Fritters with Remoulade Dipping Sauce by For the Love of Food
Reuben Sliders with Homemade Russian Dressing by A Dish of Daily Life
Big Blue Cheese Steak Stromboli by Simple and Savory
Spinach & Artichoke Bites by Lauren's Kitchen
Herb Pesto Arancini by A Little Gathering
Beluga Lentil Hummus by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Philly Cheesesteak Nachos by And She Cooks
Philly Cheesesteak Cheesecake by Nik Snacks
Game Day Cookie Cups by Me and My Pink Mixer
Primanti Style Sliders by Macheesmo
Pineapple Salsa by Living Well Kitchen
Tex Mex Cream Cheese Wontons with Bacon by Shaws Simple Swaps
Blue Cheese Blitz Dip by Cafe Terra
Chicken Adobo Fries by Brunch-n-Bites
Game Day Candy Bark by Life's Ambrosia
Chicken Teriyaki Pizza (aka Seattle SeaChicken TeriHawki Pizza) by Loves Food, Loves to Eat
High Seas Sour Cherry Slush by Lizzy is Dizzy
Buffalo Chicken Deviled Eggs by Casa de Crews
Avery Williamson American Cake by Loaves & Dishes
Game Day Sriracha-Honey Nut Mix by An Oregon Cottage
Double-Stuffed Potato Skins by A Simpler Grace
Red Skin Potato Chili Nachos by A Joyfully Mad Kitchen
[email protected] a Dash of Cinnamon
Woah I've never tried to make crackers before but the way that you did it was really neat! I like the log and cut idea.
Kathryn
Makes it SO easy! Hope you give it a try!
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen
One of my closest friends is from the South and my husband ALWAYS requests her "pimento cheese" I think they will both die when they see the tasty dip made into crackers 🙂
Kathryn
Yay! Bet they'll love these -- put the cheese IN the crackers, then put the cheese ON the crackers 😉
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
So your the blogger who took the Panthers team huh? I'm sure Rach is going to give you a hard time! lol! <3 Anyways, I am obsessed with pimento cheese so I am seriously smitten over these crackers!! Pimento cheese IN crackers?!!! Holy deliciousness!! These seriously take the cake as far as homemade crackers are concerned, girlfriend! Fabulous football eats up in here, and such a great idea for the Panthers! I'm totally doing these topped with bacon and a generous smear of pimento cheese! Gimme gimmmmeee!! Pinned! Cheers!
Kathryn
You know I want you to LOAD up the toppings 😉 And yes, of course I'm here for my hometown team!! Been with them since the beginning! 😉 XO