13 Cheese Snacks For When You're Feeling Fancy

Because cheese, as we all know, is the best part of any party. And of life.

1. Peanut Butter and Cheese Cookies

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The unlikely dream team of chunky peanut butter and sharp cheddar make these babies the ideal sweet/savory mix.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS:

For the cheesy topping:

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (not natural)

For the cookie dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup bread flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon whole milk

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter (not natural)

1 ounce sharp cheddar cheese finely shredded

1 cup pre-roasted and salted peanuts, ground to breadcrumb texture

To make the topping: In small bowl combine cheese, brown sugar, salt, and peanut butter and set aside.

To make the cookie dough: In large bowl combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a fork to combine and set aside. In a small bowl, combine eggs, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl mix butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with a mixer (on high) until light and fluffy, approximately 4 minutes. Add peanut butter to butter/sugar mixture and beat an additional 2 minutes until mixture is combined. Add 1 ounce cheddar cheese to peanut butter mixture and beat on low just until combined. Slowly incorporate egg, milk, and vanilla mixture to peanut butter/cheese mixture with beaters on low until combined. Stir peanuts in by hand with spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Stir in dry ingredients by hand with spoon or rubber spatula until combined. Cover the mixing bowl and put it in the refrigerator for at least an hour, though longer is better.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To form the cookies: When you are ready to bake the cookies, drop dough by rounded tablespoons into your hand and roll into a ball for each cookie. Place dough balls on cookie sheet and flatten with your palm. Make an indent in the middle of the cookie with your thumb. Fill the indent in each cookie with a little bit of the cheese/peanut butter topping mixture until it just goes over the top of the indent.

Bake cookies for 12 minutes, rotating the cookie sheet once halfway through. The cookies will puff up and be slightly brown but will look undercooked. Let cool and serve.

If you have extra cheese/peanut butter mixture leftover, use it to spread on crackers; it's delicious!

2. Baked Feta with Rosemary Blackberry Compote

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Consider it dip for people who are hella classy. Get the full recipe at Food52.

3. Cheese Crispettes

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Like cheesy rice krispy treats, but better. Get the recipe on Food52.

4. Chevre Devils

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As the title implies, goat cheese make otherwise sweet dates behave in unpredictable ways. Get the recipe on Food52.

5. Bruschetta with Ricotta, Honey and Lemon Zest

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An elegant appetizer for even the laziest entertainer among us. Get the recipe on Food52.

6. 10-Minute Parmesan and Mustard Pinwheels

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Remember: You're never more than 10 minutes away from a pinwheel party in your mouth. Get the recipe on Food52.

7. Fig and Blue Cheese Savories

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Like an awesome cheese plate in convenient one-bite shortbread form. Get the recipe on Food52

8. Pub Gougères with Anchovy and Cayenne

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Guess what's inside these hollow, poofy little domes?

PURE JOY.

Get the recipe on Food52.

9. Toasted Goat Cheese Crostini with Basil and Red Onion Jam

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Calling toast "crostini" is an automatic +5 fanciness bonus. Get the recipe on Food52

10. Roasted Feta with Thyme and Honey

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You bake the cheese, you eat the cheese. Any questions? Get the recipe on Food52.

11. Paprika-Scented Manchego Chorizo Puffs

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The hardest part of this recipe is probably resisting the urge to eat all the Manchego while you're cooking. Get the recipe on Food52.

12. Ricotta with Honeyed Grapes

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Every piece of bread's dream home. Get the recipe on Food52.

13. Cheese Biscuits

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Oh, just the most impossibly tender biscuits, with optimal cheese distribution throughout. That's all. Get the recipe on Food52.

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