Sarra Ina Garten’s jalapeño cheddar crackers are crisp, savory slice-and-bake crackers made with extra-sharp white Cheddar, fresh jalapeño, and chipotle chili powder. You chill the dough into a log, then slice and bake for about 15 minutes. The dough freezes for months, and one batch makes 32 to 34 crackers.
This recipe is from Ina’s Barefoot Contessa Foolproof (2012). She keeps rolls of the dough in the freezer, saying “all I have to do before the party is slice and bake.” The double hit of fresh jalapeño and chipotle chili powder makes these spicier than a basic cheese cracker.
The texture comes from working cold butter into the flour. You pulse diced cold butter in the food processor until it looks like coarse meal, then just barely bring the dough together. Let the butter warm up or overwork the dough and the crackers bake up tough and greasy instead of crisp and flaky.
Ina Garten Jalapeño Cheddar Crackers Recipe
Course: Appetizers4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalSpicy slice-and-bake crackers with a double kick of jalapeño and chipotle. Keep a log in the freezer for months and bake a fresh batch whenever guests come over.
Ingredients
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2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/8 teaspoon baking powder
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14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks / 200 g) cold unsalted butter, cut in
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1/2-inch dice
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5 oz (140 g) extra-sharp white Cheddar, grated
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1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño pepper
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1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
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3 tablespoons ice water
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1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash
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Fleur de sel or sea salt, for topping
Directions
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Mix the dry: In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, pulse the flour, kosher salt, and baking powder to combine.
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Cut in the butter: Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
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Add cheese and heat: Add the Cheddar, jalapeño, and chipotle powder and pulse again. With the processor running, add the ice water all at once and pulse until the dough starts to form a ball.
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Roll and chill: Dump the dough onto a floured board and roll it into a 14-inch log. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- Slice and bake: Heat the oven to 400F (200C). Slice the log into 3/8-inch rounds, set them on a parchment-lined sheet pan, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with fleur de sel. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
FAQs
What is the difference between these and chipotle cheddar crackers?
Ina makes both, and they are not the same. These use fresh jalapeño plus chipotle for a double, brighter heat, with cold-butter shortbread dough and white Cheddar.
Her Chipotle Cheddar Crackers are milder and smokier, made with aged Cheddar and a creamed-butter dough. Both are slice-and-bake.
How spicy are these crackers?
They land at a medium heat, with the fresh jalapeño giving a clean kick and the chipotle adding smoky warmth. They are flavorful, not punishing.
For milder crackers, leave out the chipotle and seed the jalapeño well. For more heat, add a second jalapeño or a pinch more chipotle.
Can I freeze the cracker dough?
Yes, that is how Ina makes them for parties. The unbaked dough logs keep two weeks in the fridge and up to six months in the freezer.
Defrost a frozen log in the fridge before slicing and baking. That way you bake only as many crackers as you need.
Why is my cracker dough crumbly and won’t come together?
It usually needs a touch more water. Add the ice water a little at a time and keep pulsing until the dough just starts to clump into a ball.
Do not overdo it, though. The dough should be barely combined, since too much mixing makes the crackers tough.
What do you serve jalapeño cheddar crackers with?
They are made for a cheese board or a tray of drinks, where the spicy, salty bite stands up to wine or a cocktail.
They are also great alongside a bowl of chili, or with a creamy dip like her French Onion Dip to cool the heat.
