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Chili-Spiced Pimento Cheese with Crack Crackers

Chili-Spiced Pimento Cheese with Crack Crackers

Name: Chili-Spiced Pimento Cheese with Crack Crackers
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 sleeve soda crackers (also called saltines); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1⁄2 teaspoon dried chili powder; 1⁄2 teaspoon dried cilantro; 6 tablespoons butter, melted; 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated, about 1 cup; 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, about 1⁄2 cup; 1⁄4 small red onion, peeled and diced, about 2 tablespoons; 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined, and diced, about 2 tablespoons; 3 tablespoons mayonnaise; 1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder; 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder; 1 small red bell pepper, charred, peeled, and diced, about 1⁄4 cup; 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped; 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1⁄2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Estate Comforts

Chili-Spiced Pimento Cheese with Crack Crackers

Print Recipe

The Strategy:

A vibrant, fiery twist on a Southern classic. The addition of fresh jalapeños, charred red bell pepper, and chili powder transforms the traditional spread into a complex, smoky appetizer, while the buttery, heavily seasoned saltines provide an irresistible, savory crunch.

Makes: about 2 cups | Total Time: 30 minutes till it’s ready

Ingredients

For crack crackers

1 sleeve soda crackers (also called saltines)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1⁄2 teaspoon dried chili powder
1⁄2 teaspoon dried cilantro
6 tablespoons butter, melted

For cheese base and dressing

4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated, about 1 cup
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature, about 1⁄2 cup
1⁄4 small red onion, peeled and diced, about 2 tablespoons
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined, and diced, about 2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons mayonnaise

For pimento cheese seasonings and fold-ins

1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1 small red bell pepper, charred, peeled, and diced, about 1⁄4 cup
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Overhead prep shot of Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, diced red onion, jalapeño, mayonnaise, spices, charred red bell pepper, cilantro, and saltine crackers with melted butter on marble

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375°.
Lay the crackers on a baking sheet.
Stir the seasonings into the melted butter.
Brush each cracker with the seasoned butter.
Bake until the crackers are golden-brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. The crackers can be stored in an airtight container for several days.
Place the Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, red onion, jalapeño, mayo, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine.
Add the charred pepper and cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Pulse once more.
Serve the crackers with a slather of pimento cheese on the top for an open-faced cheese sandwich snack.

Extreme close-up action shot brushing herb-flecked melted butter onto crisp saltine crackers on a baking sheet

The full recipe lives in the Vault

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The Heart of the Table

This recipe was born out of a desire to take something universally loved and give it a serious, grown-up edge. The charred peppers and sharp bite of jalapeño elevate the traditional pimento cheese into something that commands attention, while the seasoned "crack crackers" are so dangerously addictive you will find yourself making double batches just to have them on hand for impromptu gatherings.

A gorgeous single-view lifestyle photo of freshly prepared Chili-Spiced Pimento Cheese with Crack Crackers.

Neighborly Grace

THE PRESENTATION: Do not pre-spread the cheese. Arrange the golden, glistening seasoned crackers in an overlapping circular pattern around a rustic, heavy ceramic bowl filled with the vibrant dip. Provide a small, elegant silver spreader and let your guests build their own perfect bites.
THE POUR: A crisp, heavily chilled Mexican lager with a generous squeeze of fresh lime, or a fiercely cold, dry classic Margarita to cool the lingering heat of the jalapeños and chili powder.
THE VIBE: Bold, spirited, and slightly dangerous. This is the perfect appetizer for a lively Friday night gathering where the music is loud and the conversation is sharp.

Chef’s Recommendations

Cilantro, Chili and Garlic in Both: Cilantro Lime Shrimp
Carries the Jalapeno Pepper Through: Braised Jalapeño Chicken Thighs with Watermelon-Tomato Salsa
The Drink for a Spicy Spread: Spicy Bloody Marie
The Bright Finish: Blood Orange Curd Parfaits with Cherries and Cream

The Estate Table

Build tonight’s menu around this dish.

✦ Set the Table

Chili-Spiced Pimento Cheese with Crack Crackers

Chili-Spiced Pimento Cheese with Crack Crackers

The full recipe lives in the Vault

The Heart of the Table

Neighborly Grace

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