I love the way food can bring up memories so sharp they can be relived. Oven Baked Sharp Cheese Bread Bites, or cheese bread as I knew it in my youth, has this effect. They’re as good as a time machine for bringing me back to my Grandad’s living room at Christmas time. Each year his wife Wilma (his name was Fred, which still makes me smile) would pass around a few plates of this warm, cheesy, crispy on the outside pieces of white bread. The entire family would wait for this moment the whole year long. There never seemed to be enough and I was always wanting more.
I made them in my late teens or early twenties but in greedy haste I didn’t take the time to freeze them properly between batches. They were good, but not like I remembered. I’ve developed a little more patience since then and followed the recipe exactly. These were as I remembered, only there were so many of them that I was left feeling a little ill. While I may have picked up some patience along the way, I haven’t given up gluttony.
- 1 loaf unsliced white bread
- 1 cup butter
- 1 container of Imperial Sharp Cheese
- To assemble: carefully cut crust off of bread. Gently slice bread into thick (two-bite sized) squares
- Arrange in a single layer on a plate and freeze in freezer for 1 hour
- Cream together butter and sharp cheese
- Remove bread from freezer and spread a thin layer of butter mixture on all sides of the bread cubes. Return to freezer for 15 minutes
- Remove bread again from freezer and spread a second layer of butter mixture on all sides.
- Return to freezer and freeze at least 1 hour or overnight. Once frozen they can be stored in a ziploc bag in your freezer
- To Bake: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange in a single layer on an baking sheet and bake in oven for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are starting to turn brown.
- Serve immediately.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Im seriously considering going to the grocery store right now for the ingredients
Lyndsay,
You should! These little guys are so addictive!!
Hello Kristen……..Lisa sent me your site, how very cleaver of you…..it is wonderful…..the recipes and pictures are great. Is so nice to know that you and Lyndsay have fond memories of our Christmases together. I really miss them. Merry Christmas and hoping you have a lovely holiday
Love………..Wilma
Hi Wilma,
Wow this is such a nice surprise! I have lots of fond memories of our Christmases together; playing trivial pursuit and your amazing cheese bread being some of the highlights
I hope you’re doing great and that you have a fabulous Christmas!
Wow, these look amazing! I have a brother who is 46 but eats like a 6 year old and these would appeal even to him! Will definitely be on my Christmas Eve table! I was unsure of what “Imperial Cheese” was, but then I saw you’re Canadian. Lucky for me I live on the border and am planning a shopping trip to St. Catherine’s Ontario on Wednesday–it’s the stuff in the red container? Thanks again for the great recipe, love your blog…Merry merry!
Hey Lori,
It is the stuff in the red container. In case something changes and you don’t end up coming up to Canada, here’s a link to a place I found online to buy it http://www.canadianfavourites.com/MacLaren_s_Imperial_Sharp_Cold_Pack_Cheddar_Cheese_p/maclarens001.htm
Have an excellent Christmas!
What is imperial cheese? Is it shredded cheddar? Or a cheese spread? This looks amazing and perfect for a superbowl party! Thanks
Hi Ann,
Imperial cheese is a cheese spread. I found it for sale online here: http://www.canadianfavourites.com/MacLaren_s_Imperial_Sharp_Cold_Pack_Cheddar_Cheese_p/maclarens001.htm
Not sure what you could use as a substitute, maybe goat cheese? Might be worth trying just a couple as an experiment before making a whole batch. If you end up making them, let me know how they turn out
Thanks for the ping back!
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