Cheddar Cheese Shortbread Crackers Are A Savory Spin On Your Favorite Cookies

Say hello to your new favorite appetizer. You can never go wrong with adding cheese to recipes you make in your kitchen — especially when that addition allows you to reimagine a holiday classic.

Cheddar cheese shortbread cookies will become a go-to for parties you host this season considering they can be easily served with jam, dips, spreads and more. Plus, shortbread cookies are beloved at this time of year, so you know this savory take on the tradition will be a hit.

You can find several variations of this recipe online, but the one from Just a Little Bite is so simple that it only requires five ingredients, so we’d suggest you give this one a try first.

The recipe calls for butter, flour, plenty of cheese, of course, and a dash of cayenne pepper for a bit of a kick. The hardest part of the recipe is waiting for it to be ready, though, because while you’ll likely be eager to get this cheesy goodness in the oven, the dough requires a few minutes in the refrigerator before you can begin baking.

Once the dough has chilled and been placed in the oven for a few minutes, you’ll have perfectly crispy, cheesy cookies ready to be eaten. Just be sure you save some for the guests.

Land O Lakes also has a version that suggests serving these as “bites” by making the dough even thinner and smaller in size before baking it. Then, the recipe also calls for poppy seeds and sesame seeds, and it does seem like a good idea to add a topping to these crackers:

Once you’ve committed to a recipe and baked these savory shortbreads up, it’s time to consider what to serve them with.

They’ll pair nicely with a dip such as a classic spinach dip. This video from The Domestic Geek YouTube channel will show you how to easily whip it up:

You can double-down on the cheesiness when you pair this with a cheese ring. We all know that’s a Christmas party favorite, anyway. This recipe from A Fork’s Tale calls for cheddar cheese, pecans, onions and mayo to bind it all together:

And last, but certainly not least, don’t forget the one thing you’ll definitely want to serve these cheese shortbread cookies with: plenty of wine, of course.

You can pair these savory cookies with fruit, cheese, a veggie-filled dip, a glass of wine or just about anything else you want to serve at your holiday party. The possibilities are practically endless.

Enjoy!