Mom’s Cheese Cookies

This recipe below is one of two that I shared in a recent article in the Seattle Times about my Long Live the Recipe Box project. I was so touched when the writer, Providence Cicero, reached out to me about wanting to write this piece. Even more touched, of course, when I heard that it would be appearing on Mother’s Day. I know of one friend who made these cookies since then, with a nod to my mom.

I’m sure many of you can relate, the way it warms our hearts to not only share recipes that have particular meaning for us, but also that when people cook those recipes they are, by extension, also keeping that story alive, helping honor the person we got it from.

Cheese Cookies

 This is a recipe I remember my mom making for virtually every party my parents hosted at our house when I was a kid. Granted, the original recipe calls for oleo and “one small glass of sharp cheddar cheese.” With just a couple small tweaks, this is the version I love making today.

 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (about 4 oz) grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.

 Cream together the butter and cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand mixer until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. Stir together the flour, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Working at low speed, gradually add the flour, mixing just until evenly blended and the dough begins to pull together.

 Roll the dough into roughly 1-inch balls and set them a good inch apart on the baking sheet. Use a fork to gently press down on each ball, forming a cross-hatch pattern.

 Bake until firm and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

 Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies