Photo: Claire Lower
The combination of cheese and pickles is something I deeply enjoy. I will eat the two foods without the help of cracker or bread, but I’m also a big fan of the pairing on a cold and grilled sandwich. Pickle-studded cheese crisps, however, are somewhere in between the two. It’s just cheese and pickles, but the cheese is fried into a cracker-like crisp, making taste and feel like a fully-realized bite. The concept comes from my favorite TikToker (and cheese crisp innovator), Kevin Ashton.
In the above video, Ashton throws some pickle slices on a flat-top grill, then lays a slice of American cheese over them. He continues laying down pickles and cheese with lots of different add-ins, but it was (obviously) the pickles that caught my attention.
Photo: Claire Lower
I don’t have a flat-top grill, but I recreated the pickle-studded treats in my kitchen using a nonstick pan. All you have to do is heat the pan over medium-low heat, then blot some pickle slices with paper towels to remove excess moisture and lay them down on the pan. Next, sprinkle your cheese of choice over the pickles. American will have a nice chewy, melty quality to it, while something harder like cheddar will crisp up a bit more.
G/O Media may get a commission
Cook until the bottoms of the crisps turn brown. The pickles will prevent the cheese from fully making contact with the pan, so there will be some spots that don’t full crisp up. Enjoy them. The contrasting textures of crisp cheese with melted cheese is delightful.
Much like the pickle and cheese sandwich, the pickle and cheese crisp is a celebration of the sour, savory, and super salty. They’re fantastic as a snack, but would be incredible on a burger or sandwich (I think tuna salad would be especially tasty).
