These Cheese Puffs taste very similar to Mini Cheddars  but without the crunch. They are so simple to make, only require 4 ingredients and can be put together and baked in under 30 minutes.

They are the perfect nibble to go alongside any boozy beverage and will be well received whether you are enjoying a beer with family or hosting a cocktail party.

I made these using my Thermomix but any food processor will do. You can make these without a food processor but I would recommend grating the cheese using the finest grater you have. You will have to work a bit harder to get the mixture to come together but it is possible.

I used a 50/50 mix of a mature Cheddar and Red Leicester for this recipe. You can play around with whatever cheeses you like, though I would recommend staying away from the soft cheeses.

When rolling these out you want to get them quite thin, basically the same thickness as an actual Mini Cheddar. You don’t have to cut them into circles if you don’t have a cookie cutter small enough. I used the end of a piping tip for mine but you can cut the dough into strips and either into squares or triangles from there!

Don’t forget to prick the shapes with a fork before you bake, this stage is important and allows them to cook evenly. I also prefer to bake these on an oven proof cooling rack lined with greaseproof paper. I find this also helps cook them much more evenly, ensuring they don’t get too dark on the bottom.

🛒 Ingredients 🛒 

▪️200g cheese (100g Mature Cheddar, 100g Red Leicester)

▪️100g plain flour

▪️50g unsalted butter

▪️2 tbsp milk

▪️pinch of paprika, (optional)

👩‍🍳 Method 👩‍🍳

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. I use oven proof cooling racks for better air flow.
2. In your Thermomix or food processor add the cheese and blitz until it resembles a crumb. 
3. Add in the rest of your ingredients and blend again until it starts to come together.
4. Once it has come together, tip the mixture into a bowl and knead it together until it comes into a ball. This shouldn’t take long.
5. Roll your dough out until fairly thin, remembering we are aiming for the same thickness as a Mini Cheddar. I prefer to roll out my dough between two sheets of greaseproof paper, but you can do it on a floured surface if you like.
6. Cut out your shapes and prick with a fork. 
7. Lay the shapes out on the greaseproof lined sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. If you can’t wait, these are so delicious hot too!
9. Enjoy with your favourite beer, cocktail or drink!