Cheese Straws — Sharp Cheddar
Crisp, cheesy, and utterly addictive, these sharp cheddar cheese straws are a taste of Southern comfort. The secret is cold butter for flaky layers.
25 min active, minimal dishes
Cheese Straws — Sharp Cheddar
Crisp, cheesy, and utterly addictive, these sharp cheddar cheese straws are a taste of Southern comfort. The secret is cold butter for flaky layers.
25 min active, minimal dishes
Key move
Keep the butter as cold as possible and avoid overworking the dough for the flakiest cheese straws.
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The Setup
- Large Bowl
- Pastry Blender
- Plastic Wrap
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
The Mise en Place
5 of 6Your prep station before cooking begins
The Dry Mix (0/5)
Cheese straws are not flaky.
The butter was not cold enough. Make sure to use very cold butter and work quickly.
Cheese straws are tough.
The dough was overmixed. Be careful not to overwork the dough when adding the water.
Chef's Notes
Chill the dough for at least 30 mins before cutting. This prevents spreading and ensures crispier straws.
For extra flavor, brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds or poppy seeds before baking.
Serve warm as an appetizer or side dish. They pair beautifully with soups and salads.
Dough can be made and chilled for up to 2 days. Cut and bake just before serving for best results.
The Method
PREHEAT
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Inaccurate oven calibration: Many ovens cycle off before reaching the true target temperature. Wait extra time to ensure heat saturation.
Oven is preheated to the correct temperature.
COMBINE
In a large bowl, combine the flour, cheddar cheese, salt (½ tsp), and cayenne pepper (¼ tsp).
Uneven distribution: Clumps of cheese will create soft spots in the straw rather than a uniform crisp texture.
All dry ingredients are thoroughly combined in the bowl.
CUT
Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Butter melting: If butter smears, the straws will be tough. Chill the bowl if the butter softens.
Mixture resembles coarse crumbs with small pieces of butter visible.
ADD
Add the ice water (2 tbsp), one tablespoon at a time, and mix until the dough just comes together.
Over-hydration: Adding too much water will result in a tough, chewy straw rather than a flaky one.
Dough just begins to come together, without being sticky or wet.
FORM
Prep aheadForm the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 15 minutes.
Overworking: Kneading too much will develop gluten, resulting in chewy rather than flaky straws.
Dough is formed into a ball, wrapped, and chilling.
ROLL
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness.
Dough warming: Working too slowly causes the butter to soften, resulting in tough straws instead of flaky layers.
Tearing: Too much flour makes the dough dry and prone to cracking while rolling.
Dough is rolled out evenly to approximately 1/8 inch thickness.
CUT
Cut the dough into thin strips using a pizza cutter or knife.
Uneven baking: Strips of varying thicknesses will result in some burnt and some undercooked straws.
Dough is cut into uniform thin strips.
TRANSFER
Transfer the cheese straws to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Dough warming: If the dough becomes soft or sticky, chill the baking sheet for 5 minutes before putting it in the oven.
Cheese straws are arranged on the prepared baking sheet.
BAKE
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
Overbaking: Cheese straws can go from golden to burnt very quickly; watch closely during the final 3 minutes.
Cheese straws are golden brown and appear crispy.
COOL
Let the cheese straws cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before serving.
Fragility: Cheese straws are extremely delicate while hot and will crumble if handled too early.
Cheese straws have cooled slightly on the baking sheet.
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