Cheese Straws — crispy, buttery, homemade cheese straws are easy and a great appetizer!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time25 minutesmins
Servings: 36pieces
Calories: 133kcal
Author: Lucy Brewer
Ingredients
1poundsharp Cheddar cheese
3cupsall-purpose flour
2sticksunsalted butterdiced
1/2-1teaspoonCayenne pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375. Butter two large baking sheets. Grate cheese in bowl of food processor and remove to another bowl.
Place flour and Cayenne pepper in food processor and pulse to combine. Add cheese and butter to food processor and run until well mixed and a ball of dough forms. If you don't have a food processor, just use a fork and stir until well mixed.
Press dough through cookie press onto cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for about 14 minutes or until golden brown.
You can also wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for thirty minutes, then slice thinly (about 1/4 inch) into cookies and bake. Or you can freeze the dough until needed.
Notes
Tips for Making Cheese Straws
Use cold, unsalted butter.
If you don't have a food processor, then use a fork and your hands until everything is very well mixed.
Dough can be made 3-4 days in advance. Roll into logs, wrap in wax paper, and chill.
If you want to bake immediately, then cookie press is the way to go. If you don't have a cookie press and want to slice, then you'll need to chill the dough for at least thirty minutes.
How to Freeze Cheese Straws
Dough: Wrap logs in wax or parchment paper, then wrap again in foil, then place in large freezer bags. The cheese straw dough will keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.
You can also freeze the cheese straws after you've baked them. Place the crackers on a baking sheet for a couple of hours until frozen, then place them all in a freezer bag. Freezing first on the baking sheet prevents them from sticking together in the bag.