Description
Cheese Dreams are crispy, golden brown sandwich squares filled and coated with a rich cheddar cheese mixture, baked to perfection for a warm and savory snack or appetizer. This classic recipe combines sharp cheddar, butter, and spices for a delightfully creamy and flavorful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Mixture
- 2 cups finely grated sharp Cheddar cheese (freshly grated from a block)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp dry mustard
- Ground red pepper or hot sauce, to taste
Bread
- 1 (16‑oz) package firm white sandwich bread slices
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a baking sheet to prevent sticking.
- Make Cheese Mixture: Beat the finely grated Cheddar cheese and softened butter at medium speed until a smooth mixture forms, ensuring the cheese and butter combine evenly for a creamy texture.
- Blend Additional Ingredients: Add the heavy cream, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt, dry mustard, and ground red pepper or hot sauce to the cheese mixture and blend well to incorporate all flavors thoroughly.
- Prepare Bread Squares: Trim the crusts from the bread slices and cut each slice into four equal squares for uniform sandwich pieces.
- Assemble Sandwiches: Spread about 1 teaspoon of the cheese mixture on half of the bread squares, then top each with a remaining bread square to form sandwiches.
- Coat Sandwiches: Spread additional cheese mixture over the top and sides of each sandwich, ensuring each is fully covered for maximum flavor and a crispy exterior.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the sandwiches on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart to allow even baking and crisping on all sides.
- Bake Until Golden: Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. If baking from frozen, extend the baking time by 10 additional minutes to ensure thorough heating.
Notes
- You can adjust the amount of ground red pepper or hot sauce according to your spice preference.
- For an extra crispy texture, you can broil the sandwiches for 1-2 minutes at the end of baking, but watch carefully to prevent burning.
- The sandwiches can be prepared in advance and frozen; just add extra baking time when cooking from frozen.
- Using freshly grated cheddar cheese provides the best flavor and melting quality compared to pre-shredded cheese.
