

If you’re from Wisconsin, your nickname is automatically Cheesehead, a reference of course to the all the delicious cheese made in your state.
I can’t move to Wisconsin, but may I be an honorary Cheesehead? Surely you’ll let me in, because scarcely a meal goes by in the Shockingly Delicious household that doesn’t include cheese. It goes on the morning scrambled eggs, in the noontime sandwich (grilled or not), sliced on a cracker for an afternoon snack and maybe sprinkled on the salad for dinner.
Cheese makes everything better. And cheese from Wisconsin makes things even mo’ better.
Carpeted by grasslands and fed by glacial water, this land is ideal for some 1,200 cheesemakers to create more than 600 varieties, types and styles of cheese, all made following strict state standards for safety, grading and quality. Wisconsin was the first state to grade cheese for quality, and is the only state with an advanced training program to help cheesemakers become cheese masters. Is it any surprise that Wisconsin cheese rakes in the awards?
More than a quarter of all domestic cheese in this country comes from Wisconsin. That’s north of 2.8 billion (with a b) pounds of cheese each year. I eat my share. Do you?
Let’s practice our cheese skills with an easy appetizer or snack recipe I call Cheese Crispies. They’re like a little airy cookie-cracker, crispy, cheesy and just perfect to whet your appetite before a meal, or to stave off mid-afternoon hunger pangs. They are at home at a backyard BBQ and a baby shower, a beach party and a birthday bash.
They go well with a sip of wine, with Lemonade, Spa Water or Herb Spring Water, or whatever beverage you choose.
Get the cheese grater out and turn on the oven!
A cheesylicious savory cookie-cracker perfect as an hors d’oeuvre or at tea or a cocktail party. The Rice Krispies give a secret crunch.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (=8 tablespoons =1 stick) salted butter, at room temperature
- 8 ounces extra sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional if your family isn't spicy)
- 1 cup Rice Krispies
Directions
- Heat oven to 350F degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and cheese. Add flour and cayenne, mixing well. Add cereal and mix by hand only until combined, so as not to crush every little Krispie into oblivion. Dough will be very stiff.
- Take heaping teaspoons of dough and roll them into balls, by hand. Place balls 1 1/2 inches apart (they will spread a little bit) on ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and serve warm, or remove cheese biscuits to a cooling rack and cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container and serving later at room temperature.
- Makes 40.
Notes
Spice: Double the cayenne if you are a pepper head.
Recipe source: Dorothy Reinhold | Shockingly Delicious
If you’re a cheesehead like me, head over to the Wisconsin Cheese website, where you’ll find recipes, information about pairings, and you can find a store near you that sells the many brands of Wisconsin cheese. You’ll also want to follow our Cheese Pinterest board, and you may want to throw your hat in the ring for the Wisconsin Cheese recipe contest. Winners get all sorts of things, including cash, cheese, ticket, hotel and airfare to the Food and Wine Conference this summer in Florida. I’ll race you over there to enter!
This week our #SundaySupper blogger crew is celebrating Family-Friendly Recipes featuring Wisconsin cheese. Check out our collection of 20 recipes today from the talented Sunday Supper cooks. Try my Cheese Crispies, or choose another recipe from the menu below to serve around your family table. I have my eye on the Parmesan Pull-Apart Bread and the Cheesy Skillet Lasagna, in particular. And that’s just for my first round.
Today’s Sunday Supper recipes
Cheese Appetizers:
- Cheese Crispies by Shockingly Delicious
- Cheese Fondue by Recipes Food and Cooking
- Prosciutto Havarti Spinach Bundles by Daily Dish Recipes
Cheese Bread:
- Parmesan Pull Apart Bread by Magnolia Days
- Spicy Cheese Twists by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Main Dishes with Cheese:
- Cheese Curd Stuffed Meatball Sliders by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
- Cheesy Crab Stuffed Peppers by FoodieTots
- Cheesy Skillet Lasagna by Life Tastes Good
- Cheesy Vegetable Enchiladas by Alida’s Kitchen
- Fontina Chorizo Spinach Quiche by Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch
- Ham, Blackberry Ricotta, and Fresh Mozzarella Grilled Cheese by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Korean-style Poutine 2.0 by kimchi MOM
- Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Couscous Salad with Arugula by Ruffles & Truffles
- Pimento Cheese Potato Soup by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
- Sausage and Burrata Pasta by Family Foodie
Cheese Side Dishes:
- Cheesy Jalapeno and Bacon Potato Au Gratin by Peanut Butter and Peppers
- Chipotle Beer Mac & Cheese by One Sweet Mess
- White Mac and Cheese by Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen
Desserts:
- Coconut Lime Cheese Crepes with Brandied Cherry Topping by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Ricotta Cheesecake Brownies by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
10 Ideas for Cheese Dip Dippers by Sunday Supper Movement
Join us around the family table for #SundaySupper
- Twitter how-to: Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag throughout the day on Twitter to see our recipes. To join the conversation anytime, simply use the #SundaySupper hashtag to share your favorite tips and recipes.
- Pinterest: Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more recipes and photos.
- Join: To join the Sunday Supper Movement, sign up by clicking here → Sunday Supper Movement.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own. Please connect with Wisconsin Cheese on social media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest.
These cheese snacks have got to be the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth – truly delicious!
Clare,
Thank you! You just made my week, my month and my year!
These little crispy bundles of cheesiness are making me drool!
As they should, Bobbi. Make ‘em!
These look so good! The addition of the crispies is so clever! Yum!
Patricia,
It really works well!
How fun!
Plating,
They ARE! And really kid-friendly, too, esp. if you cut out or down on the cayenne.
Dorothy, these sound delicious and the pictures are so pretty!
Crispy, cheese goodness? I am totally in! I’ve never tried something like this – love it!
I may not be an honorary Cheesehead but I am a Frenchman and a Frenchman who can make the difference between Wisconsin cheese and… well, plastic cheese that can be found in American grocery stores aisles
Thanks for sharing this recipe Dorothy!
Mike,
Plastic cheese need not apply for this recipe. No cheese food, no cheese spread, just good extra sharp Wisconsin cheddar!
What a great recipe! I never would have thought to add Rice Krispies to this kind of cheese biscuit, but it sounds wonderful now that you’ve introduced me to it! Thanks!
Debi,
Biscuit! That’s the exact right word for it!
With a recipe like this, you are definitely an honorary cheesehead! I could see these being gobbled up in seconds at a party.
These look so good! I can’t wait to make them!
Not a day goes by without me eating a LOT of cheese. I’m totally enamored. These look wonderful!
Lori,
We are both in the cheese overdose club!
Love these, what a perfect snack! And all of these cheese recipes….YUM!!!
Oh my! These are very outside the box and I’m so tempted by them. I’m a huge cheese lover and this is so great!
Christine,
You MUST try them!
You had me at cheese!
These look absolutely delicious Dorothy and wish I could come through the screen and try one or two now!
Anything with Cheese is always welcome on my dinner table. This looks like a very delicious recipe.
I didn’t know this for Wisconsin! These crispies look so cheesy and tasty I couldn’t be able to resist!
As an official cheesehead by birth- YES! You can absolutely be an honorary one!
Especially with a recipe like this!
Constance,
I am honored.
Cheesy-licious! These look like the perfect nibbles!
These look perfectly delicious, Dorothy! I know the hubs would love these with his lunches
My family will love crispies! I’m definitely making these with the kids next time they come to visit.
These little bites are so incredible! My family is going to love them!
I went on a WI cheese tour way back at the beginning of this blog and I can attest they wear their cheesehead moniker proudly. GREG
Greg/SippitySup,
I would LOVE to tour Wisconsin cheese making country! How lucky were YOU!
These look delicious, great savory recipe!
these look wonderful. Great for a party!
Cookies + cheese = perfection! I want to try it with gluten free flour!
Brianne,
Come tell me how they are, and I’ll put it in the recipe if you do!
I LOVE this idea! I’m a cheesehead and we love to have honorary cheeseheads. My family back in Wisconsin will love these!
I love how few ingredients these have! Great idea to add Rice Krispies for that extra crunch!
Your nibbles look amazing! I love that you added Rice Krispies. Fun recipe!
I had to call my son into the room to show hims the cheesy rice krispie treats. I agree that they’d be fun to make with kids.
Lydia,
Oh…make them with him!
I think we’re honorary cheeseheads, too. In fact, we own TWO cheeseheads since we’er GB Packer fans! Your crispies look fantastic!
Thanks Liz. Post a picture of you in your cheeesehead!
These look delicious, I love anything with cheese
Rice Krispies?! Genius! You have just redefined Rice Krispie Treats!
My husband would LOVE these!
These are fun little cheese cookies. Bet the rice cereal adds a nice crunch.
Cindy,
It does, and it’s crunchy but you can’t quite tell it is Rice Krispies.
I just know that those would be fabulous with all that delicious cheddar. You would have to pull me away from them.
Tara,
I’ll drag you away if you drag me away!
Ooh, these remind me of crunchy little cheese balls I used to make — the recipe came from a kids’ cookbook that I adored. Will have to make these with the kids!
Colleen,
They would be fun to make with kids especially because of the rolling into balls. You might want to leave out the cayenne.
These are different and I love them! I am a huge cheese fan also and there isn’t a day I don’t eat cheese. I agree, cheese does make everything better!
I could eat a whole tray of those tasty crispies.
Renee,
You could, and I have.