Cheese Straws

Homemade Cheese Straws are made with eight simple ingredients, most of which you may already have on hand. These are so much better than store-bought with a rich, sharp cheddar taste and no preservatives or artificial anything. Roll them and cut them with a pizza cutter for your typical cheese straws or use a cookie press and turn that same dough into cheese crackers.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Paprika: Use regular, not smoked paprika.
• Ground cayenne pepper: The cheese straws have a hint of spice and heat from cayenne pepper. If you have a sensitive palate, you can omit it.
• Butter: unsalted or salted butter. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Cheddar cheese: Use a good quality, sharp or very sharp cheddar cheese. Finely shred it using the small side of a box grater. Shred the cold cheese and then let it sit on the cutting board loosely covered with a paper towel, and let it come to room temperature. This will help with the creaming of the butter and cheese.

How to Make Cheese Straws

First, whisk together the flour, salt, paprika, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. Then, using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, on medium speed, beat the butter and cheddar cheese until light and fluffy. This will take about 10 minutes.

Now reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients in several increments, beating until well combined after each addition. At first, the dough will be crumbly, but it will pull together. Dust your work surface well with flour and work the dough into a rectangle that is about 3/4 inch thick. Then roll the dough out into a larger, thinner rectangle. I usually roll it into about a 10×13-inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into long, thin strips. Use a long spatula to help lift them one at a time off the work area.

Some of the steps to making cheese straws. If it breaks, pinch it back together. Bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let them cool on the baking pan for 10 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool. Handle them with care as they break easily.

Preparation Tips

• Creaming the butter and cheddar cheese will take several minutes at medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and the beater several times.
• Add the flour mixture in several small intervals. At first, it will seem dry and crumbly, but it will pull together for a soft dough.
• If the cheese straw breaks while twisting it, pinch it back together.
• Store the cheese straws or cheese crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Cheese Straws and Cheese Crackers

With just a few tips, this tasty dough makes the best cheese crackers. Use a cookie press to make all kinds of fun shapes. I used my sunflower disc this time, and I thought they were so adorable.

• The dough might need to be chilled a little bit first, so the dough drops from the press onto the baking sheet and does not stick to the disc.
• This is one of the few times that I will advise not using parchment paper, as cookie presses do not work well with it. The crackers adhere much better to a cool metal baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Let the crackers cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

More Cheesy Appetizers

Mac and Cheese Bites

Classic Cheese Ball

Pizza Dip

Hot Spinach Dip

Queso Fundido

Crab Rangoon Dip

Cheese Straws Recipe

Melt in your mouth buttery and super cheesy Cheese Straw snacks made with freshly shredded cheddar cheese, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 36 straws

Calories: 101kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• Dash garlic powder
• ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (12 tablespoons)
• 3 cups finely grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, paprika, fresh ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder.
• Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer, on medium speed, cream the butter and cheddar cheese until light and fluffy. This will take 10-15 minutes.
• Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in several increments beating until well combined after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beater when needed. At first, the dough will be crumbly, but it will pull together.
• Dust your work surface well with flour and work the dough into a rectangle that is about 3/4 inch thick. Then roll the dough out into a larger, thinner rectangle. I usually roll it into about a 10×13. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into long thin strips. Use a long spatula to help lift them one at a time off the work area.
• Gently place them on the prepared baking sheet. Leave a little space between each strip of dough. If desired, gently twist the dough on each end. 
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to wire racks to cool. 

Notes

• Creaming the butter and cheddar cheese will take several minutes at medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and the beater several times.
• Add the flour mixture in several small intervals. At first, it will seem dry and crumbly, but it will pull together for a soft dough.
• If the cheese straw breaks while twisting it, pinch it back together.
• Store the cheese straws or cheese crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 18mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 0.01mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 0.4mg

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