Andy Montoya
Cheese straws are a beloved Southern treat that can be served as a snack or appetiser. They are made with a combination of cheese, butter, flour, and salt, and sometimes include spices like cayenne pepper or paprika. The dough is rolled out and cut into strips, which are then baked until crispy. Cheese straws can be formed using a cookie press or by rolling out the dough and cutting it into strips with a knife. They can be shaped into straight or curved straws, or even decorative shapes like flowers or swirls. These crispy, flaky, and cheesy treats are perfect for parties or holiday gatherings and can be served on their own or with dips.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Cheese (Cheddar), Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, Butter, Flour, Salt, Cayenne Pepper, Mustard |
| Preparation | Combine dry ingredients, add cheese and butter, shape dough, cut into strips, twist, bake |
| Baking Temperature | 375°F to 425°F |
| Baking Time | 10-14 minutes |
| Cooling Time | 5-10 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire rack for 15 minutes |
| Storage | Dough can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months; Baked straws can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week |
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What You'll Learn
Ingredients: cheese, butter, flour, mustard, salt, cayenne
Cheese straws are a versatile snack, perfect for celebrations, charcuterie boards, or even just snacking throughout the day. They can be made with a variety of ingredients, but here is a recipe that uses cheese, butter, flour, mustard, salt, and cayenne.
Ingredients
- Cheese: Cheddar cheese, either mild or sharp, will give the cheese straws a savory flavor. Grating your own cheese is recommended, as it will blend more smoothly into the dough.
- Butter: Use either salted or unsalted butter, softened but not melted, to achieve a flaky and crispy texture.
- Flour: All-purpose flour is recommended as it helps pull the butter and cheese together into a workable dough.
- Mustard: Mustard powder will add a little kick to your cheese straws.
- Salt: A pinch of salt will enhance the flavor of the cheese straws. Flaky salt can also be sprinkled on top of the straws before baking for an attractive finish.
- Cayenne: A pinch of cayenne pepper adds a hint of chile pepper flavor and color. Increase the amount for a spicier kick.
Method
- Preheat your oven to a temperature between 190°C/375°F and 400°F, depending on your recipe and oven.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Then, beat in the cheese until blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, mustard powder, salt, and cayenne pepper).
- Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the cheese mixture until a dough forms.
- Roll out the dough into a rectangle or square, about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cut the dough into strips, each about 6 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. You can use a knife, pizza cutter, or bench scraper for this step.
- Place the strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-20 minutes, until the cheese straws are golden brown and crisp.
- Let the cheese straws cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Making the dough
To make the dough for cheese straws, you'll need butter, cheese, flour, and salt. Some recipes also call for mustard, cayenne, and Worcestershire sauce.
Before you begin, let your butter and cheese come to room temperature. Both of these ingredients will cream together much easier when they are soft. To make the dough, cream together 1 1/2 cups of softened butter and 16 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese. You can use a food processor or a stand mixer for this step. Then, add in your flour and salt, and any additional spices you want to include. Mix the dough until the flour is completely incorporated.
If you're using a food processor, pulse the dry ingredients until they're combined, and then add the cheese and butter. Process the mixture until the dough becomes smooth and has the texture of Play-Doh. If you're using a stand mixer, cream the cheese and butter until smooth, and then combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Next, combine the dry ingredients with the butter mixture at low speed until smooth.
Once your dough is mixed, shape it into a cylinder, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest for 20 minutes. You can also store it in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake.
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Shaping the dough
If you have a cookie press, you can use this to form the dough into straws. Load the dough into the press, using a plate with a large shape, such as a flower or a swirl, and press out the shapes. You can also use a cookie press with a star disk to pipe long ribbons of dough across a baking sheet. Cut the ribbons into six-inch lengths to form long straws, or shorter if you prefer.
If you don't have a cookie press, you can roll the dough out by hand. Roll the dough out into a rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick, and cut it into strips. The strips should be about 1-inch wide and 6-8 inches long for shorter straws, or up to 10 inches long for longer straws. Transfer the strips to a baking sheet and twist them to give the straws a spiral look. You can also roll the dough into a cylinder and slice it into rounds, or cut the dough into thin strips and then twist them.
For a decorative touch, try putting the dough into a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe out the cheese straws into 6-inch lines, using lines drawn on your parchment as a guide.
For a curvy shape, gently wiggle the dough strips on the baking sheet before baking. If you prefer straight straws, skip this step.
Cheese straws can also be made by rolling the dough into logs, freezing them, and then slicing and baking them. This method allows you to bake off a dozen or so at a time, making them perfect for get-togethers.
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Baking the straws
First, preheat your oven to 375°F. You can also opt to heat the oven to 425°F for a crispier texture. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
If you have a cookie press, form the dough into 2 1/2–3-inch straws, leaving 1/4 inch of space between each straw. If you don't have a cookie press, roll the dough out to 3/8 inch thick. Cut the strips 1 1/2 inches wide and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. You can also cut the dough into 6-inch-long, 1/4-inch-wide strips. Transfer the dough strips to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 1/2 inch apart.
If you are making puff pastry cheese straws, cut the pastry into strips about 1 inch wide and transfer them to a baking sheet. Twist the ends in opposite directions to give the straws a spiral look.
Bake the straws for 10 to 14 minutes, until they are golden brown and crisp. Allow the straws to cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.
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Storage
Cheese straws can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If they lose their crispness, you can recrisp them in a toaster oven and then cool them before serving.
You can also store the uncooked dough in the refrigerator for up to four days. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or seal it in a plastic freezer bag.
Freezing cooked cheese straws is not recommended due to their delicate texture, but freezing the dough is a good option. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and aluminium foil and freeze for up to three months. Allow the dough to thaw completely in the refrigerator before baking.
If you are preparing the straws in advance, you can also prep the uncooked straws and store them in the fridge for an hour or so until you are ready to bake them.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need butter, cheese (Cheddar, Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or a combination of grated hard cheese), flour, salt, and cayenne pepper.
You will need a large mixing bowl, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, a cookie press, a knife, and two baking sheets.
First, cream together the butter and cheese. Next, add the flour, salt, and cayenne, and mix until the dough comes together. Then, roll out the dough and cut it into strips. Finally, bake the straws until they are golden brown.
Baked cheese straws can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Cheese straw dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to four days, or frozen for up to three months.
It is not recommended to freeze baked cheese straws as they have a delicate texture and may break apart easily. However, you can freeze the cheese straw dough by wrapping it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and thawing it completely before baking.
