Goat Cheese

Semolina Crackers with Baked-On Goat Cheese

by:
February 26, 2018
3.8
4 Ratings
Semolina Crackers with Baked-On Goat Cheese
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Makes Makes about 2 dozen crackers
Author Notes

I like to make these crackers as party snacks because they’re easy to serve + easy for guests to eat. Instead of providing toppings on a tray alongside the crackers, I put the toppings right on before baking. These are especially crisp crackers that hold up to a variety of heavy toppings – I opt for cheese and shallots for a savory take, but sometimes swap the alliums for some sliced or smashed seasonal fruit + a drizzle of honey. They’re delicious once cooled, but I even like to serve these warm when I can. —Erin Jeanne McDowell

Test Kitchen Notes

For more on how to make crackers, see the full article. —The Editors

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (163 g) semolina flour
  • 1 cup (120 g) all purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons (24 g) extra virgin oil, plus more for finishing
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (127 g) cool water
  • 4 ounces (113 g) goat cheese
  • 2 shallots, peeled and very thinly sliced
  • freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, mix the semolina, all purpose flour, salt, olive oil, and water for 2 minutes on low speed.
  2. Raise speed to medium and mix for 1 minute more. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to ¼ inch thick. Use a pastry wheel to cut into 2 x 2 inch squares.
  5. Transfer the squares to the prepared baking sheets (they won’t spread so they can be relatively close together). Dock each square 1 or 2 times with the tines of a fork.
  6. Top each cracker with some goat cheese (about 1 heaping teaspoon per cracker), and a few slices of shallot. Drizzle a little olive oil over the shallots and top with pepper.
  7. Bake the crackers until they’re golden at the edges and very crisp, 10-12 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes before serving warm, or cool completely.
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Erin Jeanne McDowell
I always have three kinds of hot sauce in my purse. I have a soft spot for making people their favorite dessert, especially if it's wrapped in a pastry crust. My newest cookbook, Savory Baking, came out in Fall of 2022 - is full of recipes to translate a love of baking into recipes for breakfast, dinner, and everything in between!

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2 Reviews

Gal
Gal March 4, 2018
I made these tonight and they were delicious. The dough is simple to make even if you don't have an electric mixer. Have fun with this recipe and add whatever herbs you like to the dough. I added fresh rosemary (chopped) and fresh thyme (leaves removed from stems). Be sure to allow the dough to bake until deeply golden around the edges to ensure a nice snap to the crackers. They hold up well to scooping up soft cheeses, chutneys, and salsa and are sturdy enough to hold a slice of firmer cheese varieties.
(I served my crackers with Guacamole). They are addictive while still warm from the oven.
 
Gal
Gal March 4, 2018
I forgot to mention that I made these without the toppings (Because I had
Guacamole) but I love Erin's suggestion to put the toppings right on before baking and I love the idea of cheese and shallots for a savory take, which I'll definitely try next time. Thank you, Erin!