I am a big proponent of giving edible gifts. Homemade gifts of any kind are both personal and unexpected. They show love and thoughtfulness because they take precious time to make. Edible homemade gifts have the advantage of not cluttering up people’s homes – because they will be consumed! — and anyone, even the least crafty among us, can make them. Truly.

Needless to say, as a cook and a dedicated DIY type, I love to make and give edible gifts. My book Food Swap: Specialty Recipes for Bartering, Sharing & Giving — did you notice the “giving” at the end of the title? — has all kinds of gift ideas from confections such as toffee and caramels to baked goods to sweet and spicy cocktail nuts. There are even ideas for no-cook projects like homemade vanilla extract, infused vodka, and flavored salts and sugars that a novice cook could easily make.

Today, I am combining my passion for making and giving home-baked treats with my passion for Parmigiano Reggiano, the King of Cheese. Imagine nutty, aged Parmesan cheese combined with butter, flour and fresh herbs to create a crisp, crumbly cracker that is a perfect accompaniment to a glass of bubbly or a favorite cocktail. What an charming and unusual edible gift a stack of Parmesan Thyme crackers would make this holiday season.

These Parmesan Thyme crackers would also be lovely on a holiday cheese board or alongside a comforting bowl of soup on a chilly night. In short, they are the perfect savory treat for this time of year.

I love this project because you can make the dough one day, chill it overnight and bake the crackers the next day, splitting up the work. You can also make the dough in advance and freeze it until you are ready to bake. Just defrost the frozen dough for an hour or two prior to baking.

This recipe makes four dozen crackers so that you can give them away by the dozen and still keep some for yourself. Better yet, double the recipe and have enough crackers to give to everyone on your list!

Remember when shopping for this recipe to choose only true Parmigiano Reggiano. When making an edible gift with so few ingredients, such as this one, it is imperative that the ingredients be of top quality.

To know you are getting the real thing when buying Italian parmesan, look at the cheese’s rind which should contain the number of the “caseificio” or cheese house, the production date and pin dots forming the words “Parmigiano Reggiano.” Don’t settle for anything less!

What edible gifts will you be giving his holiday season?

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Parmesan Thyme Crackers

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 6 oz. grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 TB fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
2. Combine butter, cheese and thyme in the bowl of a standing mixer and mix until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until combined. (The dough will likely seem very dry and not hold together at this point.)
4. Gather the dough into a ball and knead against the sides of the bowl until it comes together.
5. Shape the dough into a log approximately 12 inches long and wrap well. Chill for several hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350 and line two baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat liners.
7. Slice dough into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. (You should get about 4 dozen crackers.)
8. Arrange crackers on baking sheets. Bake until golden, 15-20 minutes.
9. Cool on a wire rack.
10. Crackers will keep for several weeks in an airtight container.

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Full disclosure time: in my role as brand ambassador, I receive shipments of Parmigiano Reggiano for recipe development purposes. I do not receive any compensation for my role.