If there’s anything more appetizing than regular crackers, it’s definitely got to be cheese crackers. While the ones from the store are tasty and all the work is done for you, the ones you can make at home are even more delicious. Plus you can pronounce everything on the ingredient list!

This chipotle cheddar cracker recipe comes from Ina Garten, a queen of entertaining. And, these crackers are very much perfect for parties and get togethers. But, they also make a terrific casual snack, too. Don’t wait for company to make these excellent little crackers.

There’s both jalapeño and chipotle pepper in these crackers. But, they aren’t so spicy that they’re hard to eat. Instead, there’s a gentle heat that perfectly offsets the rich cheddar cheese in these crisp little disks. But, if you’re sensitive to heat you can always reduce the amount of spicy ingredients in the recipe.

Unlike crackers from the store, these crackers will only be a thin as you slice them, which is why the dough needs to rolled into a log, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes. Then while the oven is heating up slice the log into very thin pieces so they bake up nice and crispy.

The final touch is to add some sea salt (the flaky kind if you have it) on the crackers just before they go into the oven.

Eaten just as they are these crackers are wonderful. But, they also go well with more cheese on top or as the base for canapés.

In my experience these go really fast so it’s not a bad idea to make a double batch if you’ve got a gathering of folks to entertain!