Cheese Straws (2024)

These Cheese Straws are incredibly addictive. They’re quick and easy to make which is good because they won’t last long and you’ll be making more very soon!

what are cheese straws?

Cheese Straws are the most delicious thin strips of pastry which are heavily flavoured with cheese. Depending on the recipe, different flavourings are added.

Their origin is unknown but they are popular in the UK and Southern US.

They’re flaky, buttery and packed with cheesy goodness making them seriously addictive!

Cheese Straws are quick and simple to make

Cheese is something people are very passionate about. And who can blame them when you can use it to make tasty little things like these Cheese Straws!

A good thing about these is how easy they are to make. You don’t need a mixer or any fancy equipment which makes them great for children to help out with.

As well as being easy to make, they only take around 10 minutes to bake! This means you have no excuse to whip up a batch when you have a spare few minutes.

Which cheese is best to use?

I tend to use cheddar cheese for these Cheese Straws. That is because I always have some in the fridge. My preference is extra mature cheddar because I like the extra saltiness it has.

If you wanted to use another cheese, you could use another hard cheese. Gouda or Gruyere would work well either by themselves or as a mixture with cheddar.

You could also reduce the cheddar amount and add some Parmesan cheese instead. Parmesan has a lovely strong and salty flavour which would work really well.

Get creative – use some Red Leicester or pepper jack cheese. Any hard cheese would probably work well in these Cheese Straws.

If you’re looking for a bit more flavour, try my Chilli Cheese Straws or Cheese & Thyme Straws.

Make your Cheese Straws as neat or rustic as you like

If you want to make the Cheese Straws as perfect looking as possible, you can trim off the edges. This will leave you with a rectangle you can then divide into equal sized straws. The excess you cut off can then be re-rolled and cut again.

Unless you are particular about things looking perfect, I wouldn’t bother with this. Handling the dough as little as possible is the main aim and no one will complain about the Cheese Straws not all being the same size.

It should be quite easy to get the middle dough cut into perfect looking straws though. Those can be the ones you present to fussy guests and the outside ones can be chefs perks!

Traditionally, I think Cheese Straws are cut so they are long and thin. I have been making these since I was a child and I always made squat chubby Cheese Straws so that is what I continue to!

Cheese Straws baking tips

Try to handle the dough as little as possible. When you are bringing the dough together in the bowl, don’t try to knead it.

Gently bring all of the breadcrumb like dough together and then turn it out onto the floured surface. When you are rolling it, again be gentle with it.

When you turn the dough out onto the floured surface it might feel slightly damp. Don’t worry about this because the flour from your work surface will firm the dough up slightly.

Make sure you flour your rolling pin as well as the surface to avoid it sticking.

I use a pallet knife to divide the dough into straws. It is easy because you can then use it to transfer them to the baking tray too.

Need more cheesy goodness? Check out my Cheese Scones and Cheese & Marmite Palmiers.

How long will they keep for?

Cheese Straws aren’t something I think keep for a long time. Once they’re baked, they really are best eaten within two days.

After this they will start to get a little softer and loose their crisp texture. Keeping them in an airtight container helps prevent this.

Being completely honest, if they last longer than two days in your house I will be very surprised. And that applies if you live alone too. They are just too good to not keep eating them!

can you Freeze Cheese Straws?

Yes you can freeze them before or after they have been baked. Although freezing them is an option, I always prefer them freshly baked, especially when they take so little time to make.

If you want to freeze them unbaked, line them on a baking tray and put it in the freezer. After one hour or so they will be firm enough to pack into a container to freeze. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.

When you want to eat them, you can either defrost them before baking or bake them straight from the freezer. If you are baking them from frozen, they will take approximately 5 minutes longer to bake.

You can also freeze the Cheese Straws when they are baked for up to three months. Just make sure they are defrosted before tucking in.

how to serve these cheese straws

They are delicious eaten as soon as they are cool enough from the oven in all honesty. But they also make a great addition to lunch boxes and picnics.

Cheese Straws would also be a great addition to a cheese board along with Caramelised Onion Chutney and Sweet Chilli Jam. Add in some Bacon Wrapped Dates and Honey Mustard co*cktail Sausages for an even more delicious spread.

Other recipes you might like

• Cheese & Chorizo Pinwheels
• Cheese & Mango Chutney Muffins
• Puff Pastry Goat’s Cheese & Onion Tarts
• Cheese & Mustard Twists
• Cheese & Onion Chutney Muffins

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