The key to achieving perfectly crisp cheese crackers lies in managing the moisture level before cooking. The quickest and most effective method is to use a low-temperature dehydrator, allowing the cheese to dry for 2 to 4 hours. The exact time may vary depending on your local humidity and atmospheric conditions. Proper dehydration ensures a satisfying, crunchy texture when the cheese is cooked.  Do not completely dehydrate!! 

A dehydrator is helpful but not essential for making crisp cheese crackers. If you don’t have one, simply place the sliced cheese on a cooling rack on the countertop overnight to allow air circulation. This method can still yield excellent results. Note that drying time may vary depending on the humidity in your area. 

Some cheeses such as pepper jack have too low a melting point to use a heated dehydrator.  These cheeses do much better air dried on a rack on the countertop at room temperature.

Cheese Dehydration Tips:

• Glossy Appearance: When dehydrating cheese at a temperature slightly above room temperature, the pieces may take on a glossy appearance due to the release of natural oils. At room temperature, this oily sheen will be minimal or may not appear at all.

• Temperature Check: If the cheese melts and sticks to the dehydrator tray, making it difficult to remove, the temperature is too high. Lower the heat to avoid melting

Recommended Cheese for Crisps: In our experience, Jarlsberg cheese works exceptionally well for making crisps. It dehydrates evenly and maintains its shape without spreading or melting during cooking.  We also have great results with Swiss and even medium cheddar.   We have not tried jack or pepper jack but suspect all similar texture cheese would make great crispy crackers.

Quick and Energy-Efficient Cooking Method:

The microwave, using cooking parchment, is the fastest and most energy-efficient way to make cheese crisps.

• Jarlsberg Cheese: Cooks best in 90 seconds.

• Swiss and Cheddar: Require about 120 seconds for optimal results. We expect this would be similar for Jack or similar texture cheeses.

We expect these could also be made in the oven at around 325°F, but we haven’t tested this method because the microwave is so convenient.

Finishing Touch: After cooking, let the crisps sit for a minute to firm up. Then, use a spatula to lift them from the parchment 

For long-term storage, keep larger quantities in plastic containers in the freezer. They’ll also stay fresh for many weeks in the fridge or for several days at room temperature. 

Serving Cheese Crisps: Cheese crisps are delightfully indulgent and can be hard to resist—it's easy to keep munching if you’re not careful! Their sturdy texture makes them perfect for pairing with rich dips like sour cream, onion, or clam. They also make a standout addition to any charcuterie board, adding a savory, crispy element that complements a variety of meats, and spreads. 

This image has 2 pieces of pepper jack that were completely dehydrated, one cooked and one uncooked. This was a terrible result.

 You only want to partially dehydrate -- a couple hours in a dehydrator  or up to 12 hours on a drying rack at room temperature.