Slice and Bake Cheddar Cheese Coins

• servings: 90 servings
• active time: 20 minutes
• total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 cups (8 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne (omit if sensitive to spice)

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika

Everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds, for rolling

Directions

To a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the flour, softened butter, cayenne pepper, paprika, ground mustard and salt. Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until the butter is evenly incorporated with the dry ingredients. (If you don't have a mixer, you can also use your hands.)

Add in the cheddar cheese to the dry ingredients and mix with a mixer or your hands, until the dough comes together and forms a ball. (Note: if you use your hands, it will take 5+ minutes to properly incorporate the cheese.) It should be speckled with little pieces of cheese and it should stick together when pressed between your thumb and forefinger.

Divide the dough in half and move to a silicone baking sheet or a lightly floured work surface. If the dough isn't completely incorporated, knead it for a few seconds to incorporate any stray crumbs and ensure there aren't any internal gaps. Use your hands to roll each dough half into a log measuring 8" (20cm) long and 1.5" (~4cm) in diameter.

Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning or sesame seeds onto your work surface and roll the logs of dough in the seasoning until well coated. Wrap each dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes, until the dough feels firm.

Heat oven to 400˚F (205˚C).

Using a serrated knife, cut your dough logs into thin coins that are slightly less than 1/4" thick. Too thick is better than too thin, as thin crackers will burn fairly quickly. We were able to get about 45 coins per log. You don't need to give them a ton of space, but they will spread slightly as they bake.

Place coins down onto a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges just barely start to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before enjoying.

We recommend storing these in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-7 days.