Cheese Squares

These bite-sized puffed squares are blanketed with the flavors of cheddar and a gentle touch of spice. Think grilled cheese made with a savory cheddar spread baked into a perfect snack, ideal for a weekend of relaxation!

This is an old recipe that’s been in circulation for decades and one worthy of keeping in your files. These take a little time to assemble but it’s nothing complicated. Plus they can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated or frozen, baked or unbaked, for 3 to 4 weeks.

Most of the ingredients are pantry staples – mayonnaise, butter, cream, and Worcestershire sauce plus to add a touch of spice dry mustard and paprika. Then make a quick run to the market for a block of cheddar and grab a loaf of thinly sliced bread.

Here are some tips that might be helpful. First, you want the cheese finely shredded and best to shred your own. This only takes a few minutes. Then you’ll have shredded cheese without the coating found on pre-shredded cheese, allowing the mayonnaise, butter, and cream to blend evenly with the cheese.

For the bread pick a sturdy bread, very thinly sliced. Pepperidge Farm makes a “Very Thin White Bread” that is ideal for the cheese squares. It can be found in many food markets and online. If you can’t find a sturdy bread that is very thinly sliced you can buy a whole loaf of white bread, slice it 1” thick and skip the stacking step. The cheese squares are created by stacking two pieces of bread with a bit of the cheese spread in the middle. Don’t use too much on this layer or as the cheese melts in the middle, the squares will slide apart.

Cheese squares are just right paired with glass of wine or cold brew but also wonderful served with a hot bowl of soup.

The hardest part of making these little cheese bites is assembling them for baking – or maybe it’s waiting for them to bake!

Cheese Squares

If you can’t find a sturdy bread that is very thinly sliced you can buy a whole loaf of white bread, have the bakery slice it for you or opt use 1” thick and skip the stacking step.

 12 thin slices of firm white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm Very Thin White Bread

1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese, gently packed when measuring

¼ cup good mayonnaise

¼ cup butter, room temperature

1 tablespoon heavy cream

1-½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon dry mustard

¼ teaspoon paprika

Trim the crusts off the bread, squaring up the slices. Cut each slice into fourths.

Toss the shredded cheese into a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise, butter, and heavy cream and stir together until blended together.

Add the Worcestershire sauce, the kosher salt, dry mustard, and paprika. Stir into the cheese mixture until well combined and smooth.

Lay the bread squares out onto a large surface and spread a small amount of the cheese mixture over half the squares, about 1 teaspoon (by measurement). Don’t use too much on this layer or as the cheese melts in the middle, the squares will slide apart. Place the remaining squares on top of each. Spread the cheese mixture over the tops with a little on the sides of each stack. Place the cheese squares on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat liner or with parchment paper.

Bake the cheese squares in a 375-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are a light golden color.

You can bake these a day ahead of time and keep refrigerated until ready to bake. They also freeze well baked or unbaked for about 3-4 weeks. If you bake them straight from the freezer just add about 5 minutes to the cooking time.

Makes 24 squares – this recipe is easily doubled.