Cheez Whiz. I know, right? It's the sort of lowbrow thing that I could easily see being secretly in love with. But I'd keep it a secret on account of the flavored plastic it's almost certainly made of and I wouldn't want you to judge me and my flavored-plastic-loving ways.
Good news! I think Cheez Whiz tastes like feet.
What that means is that I need not hide my hideousness from you. I can show you The Real Me. Well, as much of The Real Me as I honestly think that any one person can take at any given point in time.
I think I'm an acquired taste. Just ask my husband of nearly 15 years. And since, on any given day, at least half the readers of this blog are brand new around here, I gotta go light on the Nicole. You're welcome.
So the fact that I think that Cheez Whiz is the devil's plaything allowed me to work on convincing real, honest-to-goodness Asiago cheese (a personal favorite – but you can use any hard cheese) to dress up like a thick cheese sauce.
It worked beautifully. And if these don't taste like a grownsup version of actual Ritz Bits cheese crackers, then I don't even know you any more. Well, I don't even know the half of you who have been here before today. I know that I don't know the half of you who haven't even been here before today. But I thought that I at least knew the first half of you. Capisce?
Flaky and buttery, these crispy crackers are just as lovely as you remember Ritz crackers to be. And no, Ritz does not make gluten-free Ritz crackers. But I do. ;) Fill them with this simple yet smooth, deep-flavored Asiago cheese mixture and you'll be sneaking them out of your kid's lunchbox while she's brushing her teeth in the morning. Oh, come on. Like you never do that.
Gluten-Free Ritz Bits Cheese Crackers
Ingredients
2 batches of Gluten-Free Ritz Crackers
8 ounces Asiago cheese, cut into a large dice
6 ounces (1/2 can) evaporated milk
1 tablespoon high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Make the double batch of gluten-free Ritz crackers according to the recipe directions, using a fluted 1-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter to make mini crackers. Allow the crackers to cool to room temperature.
While the crackers are cooling, make the cheese filling. In a medium-sized, heavy-bottom saucepan, place the Asiago cheese and evaporated milk. Cook, whisking frequently, over medium-high heat, until the cheese is completely melted. Add the flour, and whisk to combine well. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and stir in the butter until it is melted. The cheese will be somewhat thick, but still easily pourable. Transfer the cheese mixture to a medium heat-safe bowl, and allow to sit at room temperature until cool (about 10 minutes).
Once the cheese mixture is cool, place it in a pastry bag fitted with a medium-sized plain piping tip. Turn half of the cooled mini Ritz crackers upside down. Pipe about 1/4 teaspoon of cheese filling onto the underside of those crackers. Top each with another cracker, right-side up, to close each sandwich.
Store any leftover cracker sandwiches in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
Cynthia says
Nicole- I think I solved my wet dough problem but how to you get them crispy vs softer. i rolled as thing as I could without them falling apart when I transfer to the pan. I just used a butter knife to transfer to the pan..is there a better way? thanks as always! -cynthia
Carole says
Don’t know what you changed but the recipes are printing great again.YAY!!!!
Do you order the book thru Amazon and get the e mailed recipes?????
Dana Schwartz says
Love asiago! These are the cutest things. Do you remember those hideous orange cheese crackers with peanut butter in between? Ok, I kind of loved them, it’s true, and I wonder if a peanut butter center would work? I’d also need to dye your lovely golden crackers an atomic orange. Then again, why mess with perfection? Can’t wait to try these :)
-Dana
Susan says
Hi Nicole! Am I missing something here? I don’t see the actual CRACKER recipe, just the filling recipe?? Help!!
Susan
gfshoestring says
Susan, the cracker recipe is linked to both in the text of the post, and in the recipe itself, as the very first ingredient.
Nicole
Cynthia says
Nicole-
I am so glad you posted this! Last week I tried to make the regular GF Ritz type crackers used here and my dough was a big wet pile of blob and goo! I am not sure what happened. I measured with my digital scale precisely and everything.
I am wondering if it was the water. I put the ice cube in after I measured the water (1/2 cup cold water, with ice) and then added the ice. Was that correct or do I measure the 1/2 including the ice cube in the water? If I did it correctly then technically there is more then 3/4 once the ice melts some. If I did it wrong and you include the ice cube in the measurements do I put the ice in the batter? Does any of this make sense???
Also., once the dough is mixed b/4 the ice you are going to have little pebbles of butter trhoughout the batter, correct? They do not need to be fully incorporated just mixed well, right?
Thanks for helping me on this one. Last week was not a pretty sight!
gfshoestring says
You don’t add the ice, Cynthia! That is definitely the problem. You ended up with too much liquid. That, and be sure the butter you use in the cracker itself is cold and diced, not melted.
xoxo Nicole
Cynthia says
Ok..so I measure a 1/2 c cold water, put in an ice cube and immediately start adding the water to the mix. I don’t want the ice to melt, right? Yep my butter was nice and cold and I got the pebbles to form with it. I just wanted to be sure I wasn’t supposed to mush the pebbles up in the final mix. Nice technical term huh…mush? I want to try these again tomorrow! Yummy!
kclark says
Really Nik? I am at work and sneaking a peak at the blog and you make me laugh out loud. Sheesh. I thought we were FRIENDS! ;-)
When I lived in Europe, our Dutch friends used to tease us Americans for eating cheese from a can. As if! Well, when we came home for the Holidays we bought this Dutch friend a can and gave it to him for Christmas. He laughed so hard. I warned him that it smelled like FEET and is made of non food substances. He hasn’t tried it yet but keeps it on hand to show his friends what American’s call food. I am thrilled with the Asiago spread you blogged. OK, now back to your regularly scheduled program.
gfshoestring says
I’m so embarrassed about Cheez Whiz. I hadn’t even thought about the way it must look to the rest of the world. Stop gifting our embarrassing food, Kristi! ;)
xoxo Nik
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so embarrassed about Cheez Whiz. I hadn’t even thought about the way it must look to the rest of the world. Stop gifting our embarrassing food, Kristi! ;)
xoxo Nik