Easy Cheesy Baking Recipes for Summer Gatherings

Cheesy Baking Recipes for Summer Gatherings

Summer entertaining gets better when cheese shows up in the baking. From savory Midnight Moon thumbprint cookies to flaky pesto and Emmental twists, these recipes bring a richer, more unexpected energy to the snack table.

Midnight Moon Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cup Midnight Moon cheese
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• Powdered sugar for sprinkling
• 1/4 cup raspberry or other preserves

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Combine flour, walnuts, granulated sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor.
3. Pulse until the nuts are finely chopped.
4. Add the cheese and the butter in several chunks.
5. Process until mixture forms a soft dough.
6. Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls.
7. Place 1 1/2″ apart on lined cookie sheets.
8. Press your thumb halfway into each ball.
9. Bake cookies for 20-24 minutes. Let cool.
10. Fill the depression in each cookie with preserves and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Comté, Pesto & Emmental Cheese Twists

Ingredients:

For pesto:

• 50g pine nuts
• 80g basil
• 50g Comté finely grated
• 150 ml olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves

For twists:

• 2 puff pastry sheets
• 200g of grated Emmental
• 4 tbsp Crème fraiche
• 1 egg yolk
• 10ml milk

Instructions:

1. Heat a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook the pine nuts until golden, shaking occasionally.
2. Put into a food processor with the basil, parmesan, olive oil, and garlic cloves. Set pesto aside.
3. Spread the crème fraiche on the puff pastry sheet, top with pesto and an even layer of grated Emmental.
4. Top with the second puff pastry sheet and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. Preheat your oven at 350°F.
6. Cut the filled puff pastry into 3/4″ wide strips and twist them.
7. Brush with a mix of milk and egg, then bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

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