March Madness is on and I partnered with Mahatma Rice to bring you these delicious Cheesy Rice Crisps. They bake to a thin crispy cracker that's a perfect base for almost any appetizer. Just 3 ingredients, some spices and your choice of toppings can put these cheesy, crisp, gluten-free crackers on your table in no time. #MahatmaRice #MahatmaRiceUSA #sponsored
Crispy Cheese Wafers
Wondering what to feed the crowd during all those March Madness games? Well, I’ve got you covered with these crispy cheesy rice crisps that you can top with just about anything. They're easy to make and gluten-free too!
Mahatma Rice reached out to me to do an appetizer for the March Madness tournament using their organic rice product. I was super happy to participate seeing that I use their rice in my home at least once a week. After all, they are America's leading rice company and have been around for over 100 years so I know their products are ones I can trust.
I wanted to make something similar to a Parmesan cheese crisp but with rice as an ingredient. They had to be extra crispy and sturdy enough to hold my favorite toppings and, after experimenting with cooking times, oven temperature and different spices, I got them just right!
How To Make Crispy Cheesy Rice Crisps
All you do is mix the cheese, rice and spices together in a large bowl. You can actually bake these cheddar rice crackers at this point but they tend to spread more and get a little thinner.
Now we add the butter which helps hold them together a little better and makes a sturdier crisp. You will notice when you remove the cookie sheet from the oven that a lot of butter and oil from the cheese is released but it won't affect the texture of the crisp at all.
Remove them from the cookie sheet with a spatula and let them cool on a wire rack. Note: It is best to make them right before topping them so they are as fresh as can be. I left mine to cool about half hour before topping them and then they sat on the hors d’oeuvres table for an hour or so and were still fine. Just look at how thin & crispy they got - yum! I could nibble on these crispy cheese wafers all day with or without toppings. 🙂
Now comes the fun part - what to top them with! I couldn’t decide on a single topping so I topped them with 3 different ones that seemed to please everyone. Check out the BBQ pork version, which I had leftover from a crockpot dinner I'd made the night before, or you can pick up a microwaveable product in the cold food section at your local grocers.
Cooked shrimp with tails on worked great when set on a dollop of guacamole.
And thirdly, my Florida Keys fish dip topped with a slice of jalapeño pepper.
Enjoy making your own cheesy rice crisps for your next party or just an everyday snack. Go team!
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CHEESY RICE CRISPS
Ingredients
- 2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 1-½ cups Mahatma Organic White Rice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup butter, melted
- Suggested toppings: BBQ Pork, shrimp, fish dip, deli meats, taco meat
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- In a large bowl, combine cheese, rice and spices.
- Stir in melted butter until mixture holds together.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, place 6 scoops, evenly spaced, onto prepared cookie sheet.
- Repeat until all mixture has been used.
- Press all scoops down into a thin patty resembling a cracker.
- Bake for 20-24 minutes or until browned. Note: There will be some butter and oil from the cheese on the cookie sheet but it will not affect the crispness or taste.
- Remove crisps from cookie sheet with spatula and place on wire racks to cool.
- When cool, place your favorite toppings on top and enjoy.
