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Star Shaped Cheese Bites

Star shaped cheese bites are buttery, flaky cheddar crackers cut into crisp little stars and baked until lightly golden at the edges. A short chill helps the dough roll cleanly and keeps these savory bites easy to shape.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Chilling and cooling 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 11 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 273
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.125 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese sharp, finely shredded
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, cold and cut into cubes
  • 2 tbsp water cold

Equipment

  • 1 food processor
  • 2 rimmed baking sheets
  • 1 2-inch cookie cutter

Method
 

  1. Pulse the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper in a food processor to combine.
  2. Add the sharp cheddar cheese and cold unsalted butter, then pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Add the cold water and pulse just until the dough clumps together.
  4. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to 1/4-inch thickness.
  7. Cut out stars with a 2-inch cookie cutter.
  8. Arrange the stars about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  9. Gather and reroll the scraps as needed.
  10. Bake for 12 to 16 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until the bites are lightly golden at the edges.
  11. Let the bites cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
  12. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For clean shapes, keep the butter cold and avoid overworking the dough. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze for up to 2 months. For a gluten-free option, use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.