Consumer demand for shelf-stable, high-protein snacks has created a potential market for dried cheese snacks. Microwave vacuum drying (MVD) has been shown to induce an expansion effect in cheese and thus can be used to create puffed dried cheese snacks. However, microwave (MW) drying of foods is a complex process to fully understand and predict without extensive experimentation, and cheese is a complex multi-component food system. The aim of this work was to provide a practical guide to food processors on all things related to producing microwave vacuum dried cheese snacks: namely, 1) the effect of process parameters and sample geometry on final product characteristics; 2) effect of acidification method, composition, and cheese type on final product characteristics; 3) state diagram connecting cheese material properties and drying kinetics and their relation to puffing; 4) theoretical modeling of heat and mass transport during MVD; 5) consumer acceptability and shelf-stability; and 6) costs associated with industrial-scale production. Vacuum level was the main determinant of expansion while MW power input determined drying kinetics of part-skim mozzarella cheese. Sample geometry also significantly affected drying kinetics. Acidification method by starter cultures vs direct acid addition and salt content significantly affected the puffing capacity in mozzarella, but no significant differences were observed between part-skim and whole-milk mozzarella. Colby Jack and cheddar cheeses also puffed during MVD but not to the same degree as mozzarella because of differences in tensile properties. The moisture desorption isotherm, tensile properties, glass transition temperature (T_g), and drying kinetics of mozzarella and cheddar cheese were related in a state diagram to understand the rubbery-glassy transition during MVD in order to predict puffing/collapsing behavior. A multiphase porous media model describing heat and mass transport during MVD was developed, effective for qualitatively understanding the moisture, temperature, and pressure distribution throughout the process and applicable to different cheeses and geometries. Consumer liking tests showed that mozzarella, Colby Jack, and cheddar cheeses are all good candidates for creating MVD cheese snacks. A shelf-life study showed that under modified atmosphere with opaque/reflective packaging, MVD cheese snacks retained comparable quality for at least 6 months, even at elevated storage temperature (35°C). An industrial-scale cost analysis for manufacturing MVD cheese snacks showed what the typical cost structure might be and how much residual capital would be available for investment in equipment and facilities depending on throughput. Overall, the culmination of this work should result in both a mechanistic and practical understanding of MVD cheese such that manufacturers can tailor the quality of dried cheese snacks to meet consumer preferences and know what to expect for producing them at commercial-scale.