Baked Pimento Cheese with Pecan Butter Cracker Crust

**By Chadwick Boyd**
PHOTO BY BROOKE SLEZAK

Take Pimento Cheese Up Ten Notches - Top it with Buttery Crackers & Pecans, Then Bake It for an Unforgettable Dip!

I recently shared this recipe in the Atlanta Journal-Constituion as an easy party starter. Readers loved it. This recipe was created by accident. I had leftover pimento cheese and had to take something to a party. So I placed the pimento cheese in a baking dish, topped it with some chopped pecans and crushed up Townhouse crackers and threw it in the oven. It ended up being the hit of the party.

I went home and honed the recipe, then took it to my friends, Carla and Matthew, for a dinner party. The crowd raved, especially my now friend Lisa whom I met that afternoon and has begged for me to share this recipe for a very long time! Here you go, Lisa!

This appetizer will become your family and friends favorite, too. It’s one of those easy, dump, stir and bake recipes that you learn to do by sight and feel once you get the hang of it. Obviously, it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s loaded with calories and fat, but in my view, sometimes those splurges are worth it!

I hope you enjoy this recipe. I’d love to hear from you how it turns out for you. Share it and tag me on Instagram - @chadwickboyd.

Chadwick’s Checklist

What you need to know before you cook

A 9-inch or 10-inch tart dish works great for this recipe
Cover the top loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly
The mixture can be made 1 to 2 days in advance and stored in an air tight container

SERVING SIZE: 8-12 PREP TIME: 10 mins COOKING TIME: 25 mins

Ingredients

1¼ cups shredded extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
1¼ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup mayonnaise
1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos, drained very well and chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic, grated
¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 dashes hot sauce
3 tablespoons chopped pecans
9 butter crackers crushed (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place all the ingredients, except for the pecans, crackers and butter, in a medium bowl and mix very well.
Add the mixture to an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish or 10-inch pie plate.
Sprinkle the cracker crumbs and the pecans on top.
Dot the top with the butter.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve with crackers and crudité.