If you’re looking for a snack that’s both easy to make and delightfully nostalgic, you’ll love cheese dreams. This vintage recipe is all about crispy, golden bread topped with gooey melted cheese—pure comfort food that’s perfect for parties, brunches, or a cozy afternoon treat. They come together quickly and are always the first thing to disappear.
First published December 24, 2023. Last updated December 20, 2024 for better instructions, easier reading, and more tips.
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat cheese dreams
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose cheese dreams
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- cheese dreams
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- We love the crunchy, cheesy goodness in these simple snacks.
- This retro-appetizer recipe is perfect for New Year's Eve, Superbowl, or anytime!
- You can easily make these ahead of time and freeze before baking to make party day easier.
Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, and ground cayenne pepper give these mini cheese sandwiches a tasty Southern kick.
These easy cheese dreams are almost always the first party appetizer to disappear—and everyone will beg for more!
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Use your favorite flavor of cheddar—an aged white cheddar or smoked cheddar would be a delicious alternative to sharp!
- Don't have Worcestershire sauce? You can swap it with soy sauce, tamari sauce, or miso paste for a different, subtle flavor.
- Swap the white sandwich bread slices with slices of whole grain bread, baguette bread, or even English muffin bread if you’re feeling fancy.
- Sprinkle your cheese dreams with smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, or creole seasoning for extra heat!
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page. Click on the image to see it full size.
Remove the crusts from white bread slices and cut each into four squares.
Mix the shredded sharp cheddar and butter with an electric mixer at medium speed. Then, add the heavy cream, large egg, and seasonings.
Spread one teaspoon of cheese mixture on half of bread squares. Top with the remaining bread squares to create sandwiches.
Cover the tops and sides of sandwiches with the rest of the cheese mixture, place an inch apart, and bake.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- You only need about a teaspoon of the cheese mixture per sandwich. Use a measuring spoon to ensure you have plenty left to go on top.
- Make sure you place your cheese dreams on a baking sheet that’s lined with parchment paper or lightly greased. Otherwise, they’ll stick to the sheet pan and can burn.
- Your cheese dreams are done baking once the cheese melts and the tops turn golden brown and crispy.
- Cheese dreams are best served hot ‘n fresh out of the oven. They lose their crispy texture and the cheese hardens as they cool.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Grate your cheese fresh from a block. It will melt much better (and thus be more delicious) than store-bought shredded cheese!
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat cheese dreams
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for a day or two. Pop ‘em in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes to crisp up leftovers and enjoy again.
Freezing
I don’t recommend freezing baked cheese dreams.
However, you can assemble and freeze unbaked cheese dreams. Flash-freeze ‘em on a baking sheet until solid, then freeze them in an airtight container for up to one month.
Bake frozen cheese dreams straight out of the freezer and increase the bake time by 10 minutes at the most. Check often.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up
Top each cheese dream with a thick slice of bacon or give those savory little gems a pop of color with a slice of cherry tomato on top.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Yep! You can assemble your tiny sandwiches the day before and refrigerate them in an airtight container until you plan to bake ‘em.
Or, freeze your unbaked cheese dreams for a couple of weeks and bake them right out of the freezer for an extra 10 minutes.
Most dairy-free cheeses don't melt very well. I don't really recommend using it—unless you absolutely have to and want to try this recipe! Otherwise, if you can eat dairy, use it!
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Use the assembly line method. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper and assemble the cheese dreams directly on it. This cuts down on dishes and makes transferring to the oven a breeze.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose cheese dreams
Crunch up or dice your leftover cheese dreams and sprinkle them over salads, or over this old fashioned baked macaroni and cheese—trust me, it’s delicious!
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
Grandma's cheese dreams are so easy to make! I like them served with a creamy tomato soup just about any time. If you're looking for a platter of finger foods to put out when you have guests, for game night, or to add to the Super Bowl snack table you can't go wrong with this vintage recipe.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Grandma's Cheese Dreams
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, grated from a block
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 16 ounces white sandwich bread slices
- Smoked paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Trim the crusts off the bread and cut each slice into 4 squares.
- Set aside.
- Beat cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.
- Beat in heavy cream and next 5 ingredients.
- Spread 1 teaspoon cheese mixture on half of bread squares.
- Top each with 1 remaining square.
- Spread the remaining cheese mixture over top and sides of sandwiches like frosting a cake.
- Place sandwiches, 1 inch apart, on a baking sheet that's been covered with parchment paper or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
- Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Lightly dust tops with smoked paprika if desired.
- Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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