What Are Cheese Crisps?
When you bake little heaps of cheese in the oven, they turn into these amazing, crispy baked cheese crisps (a.k.a. cheese chips). They are crunchy, cheesy, and very simple to make. And just like homemade pork rinds and fruit leather, they only take a few ingredients to create a mouthwatering snack.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here I explain the best ingredients for cheese crisps, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below. The only ingredient you really need to make baked cheese chips is… shredded cheese! The most common types of cheeses used are cheddar and parmesan, but this cheese crisp recipe actually works with all hard or semi-hard cheeses:
Parmesan – Parmesan crisps are more light and definitely the crispiest texture. This is probably the most foolproof cheese to make cheese crisps with, because it basically always comes out crispy. These also come out saltier than those made with many other cheeses, even without adding any additional salt. Cheddar – Cheddar cheese chips are just slightly more challenging, because you have to get the timing just right. If you don’t cook them enough, they will be soft and pliable (not crispy), but if you cook them for too long, they will burn easily. It’s just a little more difficult to make the cheddar ones crisp without burning them, but it is doable. Mozzarella – Mozzarella cheese will be similar to cheddar, but less crunchy, since mozzarella has more moisture. If you choose to use this cheese, be sure it’s low-moisture part-skim mozzarella, not the fresh variety, which has even more water content and won’t crisp up. Pepper Jack – A little bit different flavor with a bit of heat. It’s a great option when you want to mix things up a bit. Swiss – The swiss gives a distinct flavor and would be great with everything bagel seasoning. Colby – Mild and creamy, colby jack cheese is great for dipping, as it’s not as flavorful as some of the other options.
How To Make Cheese Crisps At Home
This section shows how to make parmesan crisps, cheddar chips, or any other kind of cheese chip you want! The process is the same for all of them. For full instructions, see the recipe card below.
Plain Parmesan Crisps – If you love parmesan, you’ll love this plain version. You can also add any of the seasonings listed below to it. Plain Cheddar Chips – You can definitely make plain cheddar chips too. Be sure to watch them closely when cooking as they go from done to burnt in a hurry. Italian – This is the version on the recipe card below! It includes a blend of cheddar and parmesan, plus Italian seasoning blend. Everything Seasoning – Use mozzarella or parmesan cheese and sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. Cool Ranch – Sprinkle cheese piles (I like Parmesan or cheddar) with powdered ranch seasoning. Salt & Vinegar – Use parmesan cheese and sprinkle with salt and vinegar seasoning. Sour Cream & Onion – Use a mozzarella or parmesan cheese with a sprinkle of sour cream and onion popcorn seasoning. Spicy Jalapeno – Use pepper jack for extra spicy or cheddar for a milder heat. Top cheese pile with a thin slice of jalapeno. Chili Lime – Use cheddar cheese with a sprinkle of chili powder and lime zest. Mexican – Make the cheese crisps using a Mexican cheese blend and swap out the Italian seasoning with taco seasoning.
How To Make Cheese Chips Crispy?
The keys to crispy baked cheese crisps are:
Size of the piles – Keep your piles of cheese fairly small, and don’t layer them too thick. You want the cheese to spread into a very thin layer as it bakes in the oven, which will make it crispy. Spacing – Make sure you leave enough space between the piles for them to spread, otherwise you’ll end up with a sheet of cheese! That’s still perfectly edible, but individual chips are better for most purposes. Plus, the edges get the most crispy, so it’s better to have separate chips so that you have more edges. Oven time – The time in the oven will vary depending on your particular oven, and more importantly the size and thickness of your cheese piles. If you don’t bake them for long enough, your chips will be chewy instead of crispy (this is less of an issue with parmesan crisps, which get crunchy easily, and more so with other cheeses). Browning – The cheese crisps are done when the edges are a little browned. This is the doneness indicator to watch for. Watch closely – They will go from “not yet” to burned very fast! Chips made with semi-hard cheeses, like cheddar chips, are prone to be too soft if you take them out too soon, but burned if you wait too long. Parmesan crisps are a bit more foolproof, since parmesan is a harder cheese than cheddar.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep cheese crisps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. Freeze: You can also freeze them in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Crisp up again if needed: If your chips lose their crispness, you can bake them again, just until cheese melts, and then remove from oven and let them cool to crisp up.
What To Serve With Cheese Crisps
There are lots of ways to use baked cheese crisps. You can do almost anything with them that you would do with “regular” chips:
Dipping – Along with tortilla chips and zucchini chips, these parmesan cheddar crisps are the solution for all the dipping, all the topping, and all the crunchy, salty snacking you’ve been missing. They’re awesome for everything from spinach artichoke dip and crab dip to my fresh salsa recipe and guac… almost just as much as munching on them all on their own. Topping – Top ’em with whatever you like to make nachos such as more cheese, ground beef, and sour cream. Soups – Serve the chips on the side for something crunchy, or melt them over the top of your soup. Try cheddar chips with taco soup or parmesan crisps with creamy mushroom soup. Salads – Crumble your cheese chips into salads, such as a Caesar salad or spinach bacon salad. Seriously, if you haven’t tried a salad with parmesan crisps, you’re missing out! Since they are super crunchy, they make the perfect stand-in for croutons.
More Cheesy Recipes
If you like this baked cheese crisps recipe, you might also like some of these other cheesy recipes: Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email.
This cheese crisps recipe combines both cheddar and parmesan. If you prefer just one of them, just double that one and leave out the other! See the post above for 10 easy flavor variations.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System, Healthy Ebook Bundle, and Keto Ebook Bundle!
