You just need 10 minutes and three ingredients to make this Baked Parmesan Crisps Recipe! Make these keto cheese crisps for an easy appetizer, snack or to top your soup or salad. Don't miss my tips for substitutions, storage and even microwave instructions!
Cheesy snowflake, anyone?
Just kidding.
But don't these Parmesan chips look awesome? And, do you see the heart?
I'm giddy over here! You will be too, once you try these frico, as they're called in the Veneto region of Italy (the Venice area) where these tasty snacks hail from.
And guess what? This gluten-free recipe has just three ingredients!
It's one of my favorite Italian appetizers.
Recipe ingredients
See? That's it!
You can even make these crisps plain, but I like them so much better with the garlic-paprika seasoning. It's the flavor profile I've used in my healthy onion rings, keto cod, baked chicken drumsticks, gluten-free jalapeño poppers and garlic Parmesan shrimp.
Yum!
How to make baked Parmesan crisps
You just need 10 minutes from start to finish if you're making these Parmesan wafers in the oven. Grate the cheese finely and stir in garlic powder and paprika.
I use my Vitamix (affiliate link) to grate a triangle of cheese in two batches. For a small amount, I use my zester/grater (affiliate link).
Scoop little mounds of the seasoned Parmesan on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat (affiliate link). Flatten the cheese rounds a bit with your hand, then bake!
Recipe tips
- Use freshly grated Parmesan instead of the kind sold in a can. Canned Parmesan won't melt as well because it contains an anti-caking agent.
- Don't spray the parchment paper/silicone mat with cooking spray, because it will produce greasier results. (When I made the recipe video, I used spray, but no longer do so.)
- Space the cheese mounds a couple inches apart, because they'll spread.
How to store and freeze crisps
If you don't stuff all of these in your face within minutes like some people (cough, cough), you'll need to refrigerate or freeze them.
You can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days. Note that they'll become a bit rubbery.
Freezing is my new favorite method to store the crisps. When they're cooled off after baking, place them on wax paper in layers inside an airtight container.
They stay crispy, right out of the freezer. If you want to reheat the chips in the microwave, you'll just need a few seconds, but the cheese will be less crispy.
Frequently asked questions
For the crispiest results, make these chips with any hard cheese, such as Parmesan, Asiago or Romano. I've made Asiago crisps using this recipe, and they were fabulous!
You can use a semi-hard cheese, such as cheddar, Monterey Jack or colby, but they'll be less crispy. I've made them with cheddar and found that I much preferred the salty vibe from Parmesan or Asiago.
I never thought about using the microwave for these, until a reader tipped me off. After a few rounds of testing, here's my advice:
Line a microwave-safe plate with parchment paper, not wax paper. Wax paper will stick to the melted cheese like glue.
Test one in your microwave to see how much time is needed for best results. My 1400-watt microwave took 25 seconds for a crispy chip. Thirty seconds made it hard and crunchy.
Use the microwave option when you want a snack ready in seconds. You don't even have to mix the cheese with seasoning first...just sprinkle it on before heating.
Use a regular oven for the best texture, and when you need to make a larger quantity.
What to serve with cheese crisps
- Add them to your bowl of minestrone or broccoli-cheddar soup.
- Top your spinach salad with them.
- Use them as an appetizer to scoop up spaghetti sauce.
- Mold them around the cups of an inverted muffin pan while the crisps are warm. When cool, fill them with spinach-artichoke dip.
- Add them to your hamburger.
- Eat them plain as a snack!
So many possibilities.
Enjoy!
Baked Parmesan Crisps Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper (cut to fit) or silicone mats.
- Finely grate the Parmesan in your blender, food processor, or on a box grater until you can measure out one cup.
- In a small bowl, stir together the cheese, garlic powder and paprika.
- Using a measuring spoon, scoop a heaping tablespoon of the 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 ½ 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. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days (they'll get rubbery) or in the freezer for up to a couple months.
- To freeze, let the crisps cool after baking. Place them on wax paper in layers inside an airtight container. They will stay crispy right out of the freezer. If you want to reheat the chips in the microwave, you'll just need a few seconds, but the cheese will be less crispy.
Video
Notes
- Line a microwave-safe plate with parchment paper, not wax paper. Wax paper will stick to the melted cheese like glue.
- Test making a cheese crisp in your microwave to see how much time is needed for best results. My 1400-watt microwave took 25 seconds for a crispy chip. Thirty seconds made it hard and crunchy.
- Use the microwave option when you want a snack ready in seconds. You don't even have to mix the cheese with seasoning first...just sprinkle it on before heating.
- Use a regular oven for the best texture, and when you need to make a larger quantity.
- Add them to your bowl of minestrone or broccoli-cheddar soup.
- Top your spinach salad with them.
- Use them as an appetizer to scoop up spaghetti sauce.
- Mold them around the cups of an inverted muffin pan while the crisps are warm. When cool, fill them with spinach-artichoke dip.
- Add them to your hamburger.
- Eat them plain as a snack!
Nutrition
(Recipe Source: Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis. Originally published on July 26, 2016 and updated now with additional photos and text.)
Kim says
I HATE a recipe that i follow and doesn’t work out!
Mamma C says
Hi Kim - I want to help troubleshoot, since this is a recipe that has been made many, many times successfully. What kind of cheese did you use? Did you grate it yourself? Can you be more specific about what happened?
Sherry says
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 says
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.
Jen says
Do you know if you could do this with other types of cheese?
Mamma C says
Hi Jen - I haven't tried it, but one reader said Asiago works well. You need a hard cheese, not something soft like cheddar or mozzarella.
Pam says
The receipe says 36 cals. per serving - is a serving just one?
Mamma C says
Hi Pam - Yes, it's 36 calories for one crisp.
Bonnie says
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 says
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!