Got 10 minutes? Make these gluten-free Baked Parmesan Crisps for an easy appetizer, snack or to top your soup or salad! I flavor mine with garlic powder and paprika, but they’re good plain too!
I made snowflakes for Christmas in July! Just kidding.
But aren’t these baked Parmesan crisps the cutest things ever? And, do you see the heart?
I’m giddy over here. These are so fun! Oh, and they’re delicious, too.
If you’re wondering what’s in these crisps, they just have three ingredients — freshly grated Parmesan seasoned with garlic powder and paprika. That’s it! You can even make them plain, if you’d prefer, or add herbs like basil or rosemary.
The process is so cool! All you do is scoop little mounds of your cheese mixture on a rimmed sheet pan lined with greased parchment paper. Then, you flatten them a bit with your hand and bake at 400 degrees for five minutes. Finito!
I know I’m using lots of exclamation points, but these baked Parmesan crisps make me happy. I first saw some on The Italian Dish a few years ago. I was blown away, and vowed to make them someday.
I hadn’t thought of them for a long time, though, until last week. I had made little pizzas out of sliced bread for lunch, and was standing at the stove, scraping up every bit of cheese that had fallen onto the pan and gotten baked into crispy, crunchy goodness.
Suddenly, it hit me. Parmesan crisps!
I did some research and learned they’re called frico in the Italian dialect from the Veneto region, where Venice is located. I decided to add the garlic powder and paprika, because that’s the combo we love in my Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic Butter and Lemon Parmesan Cod with Garlic Butter. Mmmm.
You can make these baked Parmesan crisps as an appetizer, snack or to top your salads and soups. (They’re perfect for Lightened Up Broccoli and Cheese Soup and Minestrone with Fire-Roasted Tomatoes). You can even use them to scoop up my Homemade Marinara Sauce or Spinach, Artichoke and Asiago Dip.
So many possibilities. Enjoy!
(Recipe Source: Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)
Watch the video to see how you can make these Baked Parmesan Crisps!!
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper (cut them to fit inside your pan.)
- Grate your Parmesan in your blender, food processor, or on a box grater until you can measure out one cup.
- In a small bowl, stir together your Parmesan, garlic powder and paprika.
- Using a measuring spoon, scoop a heaping tablespoon of your cheese mixture and place it on your baking sheet, starting at one of the corners. Continue placing little mounds of cheese on your pan, fitting six on each pan and spacing them apart.
Pat down each cheese mound with your hand to flatten it into a circle about 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches wide. Bake for 4-6 minutes, until they are set and starting to get crispy.
- Remove the crisps from the oven and let them rest in the pan for a couple minutes. Then, use a thin spatula to transfer them to a plate or serving platter to cool. They will be most crispy if eaten soon, but store leftovers covered in the refrigerator.
Sherry
No need to spray the parchment. I did and it just increased the oiliness so crisps never got crispy. Next batch without spraying the parchment turned out much better. I did use parm that I brought back from France so maybe that has something to do with the increase in oil.
Mamma C
Hi Sherry – Thanks for sharing that. I tried making them again without the oil spray, and they didn’t stick, so I’ve updated the instructions. The crisps may also need to be baked an extra minute to get them crispy.
Pam
The receipe says 36 cals. per serving – is a serving just one?
Mamma C
Hi Pam – Yes, it’s 36 calories for one crisp.
Bonnie
These turned out amazing and crispy! I used silicon mats on my baking sheets and cooled them off on a cooling rack. I wish I could post pictures of how well they turned out. Thank you.
Next time I will make these in to baskets to serve caesar salad in.
Mamma C
Hi Bonnie – I wish I could see your photos too! Are you on Instagram? You could post them there and tag @cookingwithmammac so I could see them. I love the idea of making these Parmesan Crisps into baskets for serving Caesar salad!
Roy Laccone
Okay I tried this and mine never melted instead they turned brown and were just as flake as I started. Was I supposed to mix some sort of liquid with them to get the melting going ? Mabe spray olive oil or butter on them?
Mamma C
Hi Roy – I only spray the parchment paper and don’t add any liquid to the grated Parmesan. Did you buy a triangle of Parmesan and grate it yourself? That’s what I do, since that makes a difference. Also, is your oven working properly?
Helene
You can make them in the microwave as well. They are delicious.
Mamma C
Hi Helene – I have to try that! Thanks for letting me know!
Jennifer Myers
I wonder if the same thing would work with smoked cheddar?
Mamma C
Hi Jennifer – I’ve only tried this with Parmesan and believe hard cheese is needed. Another commenter (Michelle D.), said soft cheese (like cheddar) will melt and burn.
Erica Major
Love! i just made these and i added them to a Rosemary Turkey Burger for crunch OMG
Mamma C
Hi Erica – That sounds so good! I’m definitely trying that! Thanks for letting me know.
Deena
For those wondering, if you don’t have parchment paper, you can use non-stick foil. My parmesan was very greasy so I imagine even regular foil would probably work. Any idea if certain brands are oilier than others?
Mamma C
Hi Deena – I usually buy a triangle of Bel Gioioso Parmesan, and it works pretty well. I don’t know whether other brands are more greasy.
Vicki
Thanks for sharing on Pinterest, Andrea. I’ll definitely try this recipe. However, I can’t seem to find the link to the video. Perhaps you can email it to me? Thanks!
Mamma C
Hi Vicki – The video is embedded into the post. If viewing on your phone, the video is located just above the recipe card. If viewing on your computer, the video is at the very top of the post, but when you scroll, it moves to the right side of the screen and should play automatically. Let me know if you still can’t find it.