Shop
My
Custom
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
GET IT NOWI still remember the first time I made little piles of shredded cheese and baked them. Someone in my Facebook group mentioned it and I was intrigued. When I pulled out the melty puddles of baked cheese from the oven, it was hard to believe they’d turn into actually crunchy cheese crisps. But they did, and since then I’ve made them with many types of cheese. If you’re craving a crispy, savory snack, make a batch of these cheese chips with me to satisfy that craving!
Why You Need My Cheese Crisps Recipe
- Crispy, crunchy, and cheesy chips – If you like parmesan crisps, these are just like that, except I make them in different flavors. They have a light, crisp crunch and so much flavor.
- Make them with any cheese – You can make my cheese chips recipe with cheddar, parmesan, or other cheeses. I’ll explain the pros and cons of each, plus tons of variations and ideas to make them your own.
- Easy, healthy, and affordable – This little snack takes minutes to throw together, plus it’s packed with protein, low carb, and gluten-free. Not to mention, it costs much less to make your own than buy the pre-made ones!
Choosing Which Cheese To Use
The only ingredient you really need to make baked cheese chips is… shredded cheese! This cheese crisp recipe actually works with all hard or semi-hard cheeses. Here’s an overview of the results you can expect with different types:
- Parmesan – Parmesan crisps (pictured below left) are the lightest and store the longest, which is probably why you see them in stores the most. This is probably the most foolproof cheese to make cheese crisps with, because it basically always comes out crunchy. They also come out saltier than those made with many other cheeses.
- Cheddar – Cheddar cheese chips (in my bottom right picture) are a little more challenging, because you have to get the timing just right. If you don’t bake them long enough, they will be soft and pliable — instead of crispy — but if it’s too long, they’ll burn. I love them when done right, though!
- Mozzarella – It has a lot of moisture, so turns out less crunchy, but I do like the neutral flavor. I recommend low-moisture part-skim mozzarella for best results with this type.
- Pepper Jack – Choose this if you like some heat. It’s my husband’s fave!
- Swiss – A good option if you like a stronger flavor.
- Colby – Mild and creamy, so it’s great for using the cheese chips as dippers.
My favorite is actually a combo of cheddar and parmesan, plus a sprinkle of Italian seasoning for flavor. See my flavor variations below for other seasoning ideas!
How To Make Cheese Chips
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Mix the cheeses in a bowl. I only do this if I’m using multiple types, like I did here.
- Sprinkle in piles. Place tablespoon-sized heaps of the shredded cheeses (think 2-inch circles) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle on any seasonings you like — or skip them if you want.
- Bake until melty and golden. Pop the cheese crisps in the oven and bake until the edges start to brown. Watch closely, as they go from done to burnt quickly!
- Cool to crisp up. Let the chips cool in the pan until they are no longer gooey, then use a thin spatula to transfer to a paper towel or cooling rack. (I like this spatula because it’s super thin and gets underneath easily. Cool completely to get fully crunchy.
My Tips For Crispy Results
After making these so many times, I’ve found that several factors affect how crunchy your cheese crisps get. Here’s what to watch for:
- Size and thickness of the piles – Keep your piles of cheese fairly small, and don’t layer them too thick. You want the cheese to spread into a very thin layer as it bakes in the oven.
- Type of cheese – Some varieties melt faster than others. I’ve also found that pre-shredded cheese works a little better than freshly grated, as it’s less oily.
- Spacing – Make sure you leave enough space between the piles for them to spread, otherwise you’ll end up with a sheet of cheese! That’s still perfectly edible, but individual chips are better for most purposes. Plus, the edges get the most crispy, so I much prefer separate chips (more edges!).
- Browning – The time in the oven will vary depending on your pan and your oven. The cheese crisps are done when the edges are golden brown — that’s what I watch for. If you don’t bake them for long enough, they’ll turn out chewy.
- Don’t let them burn – These will go from “not yet” to burned very fast! I turn on my oven light and set a timer to few minutes early, so I can keep an eye on them towards the end.
Flavor Variations
One of my favorite things about making your own cheese crisps instead of buying them is that I can customize the flavor! I used a blend of cheddar and parmesan with my Italian seasoning blend.
I’ve also made these cheese crisps topped with:
- Everything bagel seasoning
- Ranch seasoning
- Sour cream and onion seasoning (love that it’s all natural!)
- Taco seasoning (perfect with Mexican cheese blend)
- Simply a sprinkle of chili powder and lime zest (or choose any spices you like)
- A thin jalapeno slice on top for extra heat
Serving Ideas
I love these baked cheese crisps as a snack all on their own, but you can do almost anything with them that you would do with “regular” chips:
- Dipping – Along with tortilla chips and zucchini chips, these parmesan cheddar crisps are the solution for all the dips. They’re awesome for everything from spinach artichoke dip and crab dip to my fresh salsa recipe and guac. They’re also great dunked in marinara sauce, as pictured above!
- Topping – Pile them high with ground beef, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and sour cream to make nachos! I don’t recommend heating them since they’ll melt, but sometimes I can get away with doing so briefly.
- Soups – Serve the cheese chips on the side for something crunchy, or melt them over the top of your soup. I love cheddar chips with taco soup or parmesan crisps with creamy mushroom soup.
- Salads – Crumble them over my Caesar salad or spinach bacon salad. I think they’re better than croutons!
Baked Cheese Crisps (Plain + Flavors)
By
My quick & easy baked cheese crisps recipe will show you the basic method for crunchy cheese chips, plus 7 simple seasoning combinations!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
In a medium bowl, stir the cheeses together.
-
Place uniform tablespoon-sized heaps of the shredded cheeses onto the baking sheet, 2 inches (5 cm) apart. (They will spread, so make sure to leave enough room.) Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, if using.
-
Place in the oven for 6-8 minutes, until the edges start to brown. (Watch them carefully, as they go from done to burned fast.)
-
Allow the cheese chips to cool slightly in the pan, then transfer them to paper towels to drain and get crispy.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 of entire recipe, or ~6 chips
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the crispiest results.
- Types of cheese and flavor variations: My cheese crisps recipe combines both cheddar and parmesan. You can use just one of them, or other cheeses. See my notes on types of cheese above, as well as seasoning variations.
- Store: While cheese chips are best fresh, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. They do soften with time, so I just pop them back in the oven and they crisp up again when they cool.
- Freeze: You can also freeze them in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Again, you’ll need to re-crisp them in the oven.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Cheat Sheet System, Healthy Ebook Bundle, and Keto Ebook Bundle!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Baked Cheese Crisps
More Cheesy Recipes
I love cheese! If you like my baked cheese crisps, you might also like some of my other cheesy recipes:
229 Comments
Moop Brown
0These chips look like a nice snack that is crunchy and tasty and like something everyone will enjoy. Thanks
Cathleen
0I love this so much! It is definitely going to be one of my new go-to recipes 🙂
Katie Crenshaw
0I made these for my Caesar salad. They turned out so pretty and tasty. So much better than croutons!
Gwynn
0This recipe is so easy to make and so impressive for entertaining!
Silvia
0I didn’t know making parmesan crisps was this easy. I’m going to try making them this coming week, my family is going to love them.
Tammy
0I love parmesan crisps with soups especially! These are so good and addictive!
Becky Summer
0Me and my husband can’t wait to try this as we both have cholesterol and I am a diabetic.
Lok
0Will make again. Easy, Delicious, Cooked 9 minutes did not use any seasoning. Recommend!
Leslie
0This is such a great snack! I absolutely love your flavor options for this easy recipe! Salt and vinegar are calling my name!
Ann
0Ok these are dangerously addicting! So perfect to add on top of soups or salads!
Marie
0Parmesan cheese crisps are a snack I just can’t say no to! So crisp and cheesy and incredibly addictive! Loved the combination with cheddar in your recipe. I made them for friends and they disappeared off the plate in record time!
Marta
0You had me at cheddar and parmesan! I made these crisps to serve during family movie night. The problem is I made them hours before dinner and by movie time I had eaten them all my myself.
Amy L Huntley
0These are so cheesy. I love adding them to a yummy salad and pasta recipe!
Kristyn
0These are the perfect snack!! Crisp & cheesy, just what I love!! So easy to make, too!
Liz
0Such a great topping for a salad! So quick and easy to make.
Freya
0So quick and delicious! I love the flavour of these, a perfect snack!
Sharon
0I’ve seen the bagged version of crisps in the store but didn’t like the added ingredients so I love this recipe so I can make my own at home and know what’s in them.
Jennifer
0Oh, these crisps are delicious!! My favorite snack at the moment!!
Taylor
0These were AMAZING! So flavorful with the perfect crunchy and crisp texture. They were the perfect snack and I loved adding them to salads too. Yum!
Ann
0Cheese crisps are so easy to make!
Glenda
0These are fantastic! What an easy delicious snack. They didn’t last very long at our house, though. I”m gonna have to hide a few from the next batch. lol
Paula
0What did you add for moisture to bind dough to make bowl?