This page requires that scripting be enabled in your browser to function properly. If you need help enabling scripting, please vist our
technical FAQ page.

READY IN 30 mins

Cheese Straws

Read Reviews (119)

"I won't forget the cheese straws that my mother made for my father. The only difference was that she did not add cayenne pepper. These make wonderful hors d'oevres." — Carol

Ingredients Edit and Save

Watch video tips and tricks

Cream Cheese Arepas

Parmesan Cheese Twists

Easy Ham and Cheese Appetizer Sandwiches

Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

Celery Root and Cheese Bake

Allie’s Delicious Macaroni and Cheese

Easy Cheese Ball II

Fig Brulee with Burrata Cheese

How to Make Nacho Cheese Sauce

Measuring All-Purpose Flour

Cooking with Cayenne Pepper

Types of Salt

Original recipe makes 4 dozen Change Servings

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup margarine
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water

Check All Add to Shopping List

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, salt, grated cheese and butter or margarine in a bowl and mix until well combined. Add water a little bit at a time to make a very stiff dough.
On a lightly floured surface, roll pieces of the dough into just slightly thicker than pencil shaped sticks. Cut sticks into 4 to 5 inch lengths. Arrange the pieces on the baking sheet.
Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 5 minutes or until browned.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 25 mins
COOK 5 mins
READY IN 30 mins

ADVERTISE WITH US

I found this recipe a few years back and have made it every Christmas eve for our annual Christmas eve party. Every year I get tons of compliments on it! This is an AWESOME recipe and very easy to make! I usually omit the pepper but add paprika...People show up to the party just for the cheese straws I think! I've never had a problem with the dough, but what I do is set my butter out the night before I make these so that the butter is at room temp and very soft, I also put my cheese out a few hours before making them so that it's at room temp and soft. Also, use freshly shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese, I made these with packaged shredded cheese and they weren't as good as with freshly shredded cheese. Takes a but longer but you'll appreciate it in the end!

—Laura C.

See full review »

Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 24, 2003

I've been looking for cheese straws receipe for a long time. This one is the best so far. Next time I'll try to roll to a thinner dough. Yummy!

—Joanna

See full review »

144 Ratings

See other versions of this recipe!

Mar 14, 2005

I made these this morning for a party I'm having this evening. I'm amazed at how quickly this recipe came together. After reading the other reviews, I decided to soften my butter a bit in the microwave, then mixed it with the cheese. I added the cayenne and about 1/2 tsp garlic salt to the flour (omitting the salt the recipe called for) before mixing it with the cheese. With the addition of 1/2 cup water, the dough came together well. Instead of greasing a cookie sheet, I used sheets of parchament paper & then my cookie press to press out the straws. I sprinkled them with garlic salt and baked for 8 mins. After removing them from the oven, I slipped the parchament paper off the cookie sheet so the straws could cool more quickly. I cut them in half lengthwise, then across, so the finished product was about 2" long. I think the key to crispiness is making sure that the oven is preheated properly. My first batch was chewier than subsequent batches.

—HOOPLAH

See full review »

Jan 13, 2004

Try putting the dough through a cookie press to make the straws. Use a disc with a small opening like the star.

—ADLEVINE

See full review »

Dec 28, 2007

I've made a LOT of different cheese straw recipes and this is definitely the best. I grated a 10 oz block of extra sharp Cracker Barrel cheese in my food processor. Then I dumped it in my mixer bowl, dropped 1 ½ sticks of margarine in and popped it in the microwave for 40 seconds. I blended it and added the dry ingredients and put it in my cookie press with the big star tip and squirted straws in rows, the length of the pan. When they came out, I quickly cut them about every 2 inches. Very easy. I did not add the water and they came out absolutely delicious! Very light, crisp and cheesy! I did have to bake them about 12 minutes to get them light brown. If you take them out before that, they are not crisp.If you let them get too brown, they are burned... Have to keep a careful eye on them between 10 and 12 minutes. I definitely added this one to my recipe box. Thanks!

—Jackay

See full review »

Jan 13, 2004

The recipe was excellent, although it was more time-consuming than I had thought to roll out the straws. After rolling them out, I refrigerated the straws for 5-10 min. (and then added 3-4 min. to baking time), which helped them puff a bit less and made them very flaky.

—OTDiva

See full review »

Dec 16, 2003

I must have done something wrong. These were the worst things I have ever tasted. I made them twice and each time they were tasteless.

—SADUPUIS1

See full review »

Nov 14, 2007

I used a cookie press to squeeze mine into cute shapes. You can make ridged sticks or flower biscuits, etc.

—Jennifer

See full review »

Rate This Recipe

Edit

Glad you liked it! Your friends will, too:

Did you tweak the recipe? Edit and save your own version of it!

Edit this recipe

More Recipes Like This See all

Cheese Straws

Cheese Straws

Herb Cheese Pretzels

Cheddar Cheese Nippers

Cheese Wafers

Ham and Cheese Picnic Bread

Quick and Easy Cheese Bread

Cheese Garlic Biscuits II

Cheese Biscuits II

Cheese Ball I

ADVERTISE WITH US

Nutrition

Calories
67 kcal
3%

Carbohydrates
4.1 g
1%

Cholesterol
6 mg
2%

Fat
4.8 g
7%

Fiber
0.1 g
< 1%

Protein
2 g
4%

Sodium
103 mg
4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Cheese Straws

Serving Size: 1/48 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 48
Amount Per Serving
** Calories: 67
** Calories from Fat: 43

% Daily Value *
** Total Fat 4.8g 7 %
** Saturated Fat 1.7g 9 %
** Cholesterol 6mg 2 %
** Sodium 103mg 4 %
** Potassium 13mg < 1 %
** Total Carbohydrates 4.1g 1 %
** Dietary Fiber 0.1g < 1 %
** Protein 2g 4 %
** Sugars 0.1g
** Vitamin A 4 %
** Vitamin C < 1 %
** Calcium 6 %
** Iron 3 %
** Thiamin 4 %
** Niacin 5 %
** Vitamin B6 < 1 %
** Magnesium 1 %
** Folate 6 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.