The Extra Step That Will Totally Elevate Your Cheese Crisps

Cheese crisps are an ideal snack or ingredient to add crunch to dishes whether you avoid gluten, follow a keto diet, or just appreciate cheese in any form. These days, there are many varieties of store-bought cheese crisps available at the grocery store, but it's a simple thing to make at home. A benefit to homemade cheese crisps is that you can take one extra step and add a spice blend to elevate the flavor profiles — and to skip any potential preservatives found in the bagged version.

It's an even easier snack to make at home if you follow our keto parmesan crisps recipe from Tasting Table recipe developer Susan Olayinka. In this recipe, Olayinka suggests using everything bagel seasoning or chopped parsley to add flavor — but there are many other options. To turn the cheese into flavorful crisps, it only takes five minutes in an oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Olayinka suggests adding the spices or herbs after the pan is removed from the oven but you can also combine the spices with the cheese before the crisps are formed or sprinkle on top before they go into the oven.

To take the flavor up a notch with other spices, we've got a few suggestions. Spicy cheese crisps are ideal to add heat to a salad or snack mix, so consider cayenne pepper, aleppo pepper, adobo, or crushed red pepper. Match the flavors of the other components of the dish, like with turmeric or curry powder for Indian dishes, chili powder or ground anise for Mexican flare, and Italian seasoning will give the cheese crisps a touch of Mediterranean flavors. Or keep it simple and reach into your spice cabinet and use garlic or onion powders.

And if you don't like the cheddar in our recipe, use another variety. There are reasons why some cheeses melt better than others, so use a variety that's soft and high in fat. Some types of cheese that are good substitutes include Monterey jack, mozzarella, gouda, asiago, gruyere, or a combination of any of these cheeses.

After you decide on the spices and cheese and bake accordingly, it's hard not to snack on the cheese crisps right out of the pan. However, cheese crisps are a crunchy addition to tacos, add crunch and flavor to salads, give a savory touch to homemade snack mix, work as a cheesy vessel for your go-to dips and sauces, or in any other form you want to eat the cheesy snack.