Southern Cheese Straws (Crispy Cheddar Holiday Snack with a Little Kick)

Why you’ll love it

• Big cheese flavor: a whole half pound of extra-sharp cheddar in every batch, with a little cayenne kick.
• Only 6 basic ingredients: cheese, butter, flour, salt and two spices.
• Made for the holidays: they keep for 2 weeks, freeze beautifully and make a lovely gift.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the cheese straw dough

• 8 oz (225 g) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated from a block (about 2 1/2 cups), at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (use 1/4 tsp for a milder straw)
• 1/4 tsp smoked or sweet paprika
• 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) cold water or milk, only if needed

For finishing (optional)

• Flaky sea salt
• A light dusting of paprika

Step-by-step method

1. Preheat and prepare the pans. Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Cream the cheese and butter. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the grated cheddar and softened butter on medium speed 2 to 3 minutes, until well blended, creamy and light orange.

3. Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, salt, cayenne and paprika. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in 3 additions and mix just until a soft dough forms that holds together when pinched. If it looks dry and crumbly, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time.

4. Shape with a cookie press. Fit a cookie press with the star or ridged ribbon disk and fill it with dough. Press long ribbons of dough onto the lined sheets, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them, then cut the ribbons into 4-inch (10 cm) lengths with a knife. Leave them on the sheet; they do not spread much.

5. Or roll and cut. If you do not have a cookie press, divide the dough in half and roll each half between 2 sheets of parchment into a rectangle about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Peel off the top sheet and cut the dough into strips 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) wide and 4 inches (10 cm) long with a knife or fluted pastry wheel. If you like, gently twist each strip. Transfer them to the lined baking sheets, 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) apart. If the dough gets too soft, chill it 10 minutes.

6. Season. Sprinkle the straws very lightly with flaky salt or paprika, if using, and press gently so it sticks.

7. Bake. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the pans top to bottom halfway through, until the straws are firm, dry and the edges and bottoms are just turning light golden. Do not let them get dark brown or they will taste bitter.

8. Cool. Let the straws cool on the baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely; they crisp up as they cool. Repeat with any remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

How to know it is done

The cheese straws are done when they look dry and matte rather than shiny, feel firm when lightly touched, and the bottoms and very tips are a light golden color while the tops are still pale orange. They will still bend slightly when hot. After 10 to 15 minutes on a rack they should snap cleanly in half. If a cooled straw is soft in the center, return the batch to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes.

Tips for the best result

• Grate the cheese yourself from a block; pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking starch that makes the dough dry and the straws less flavorful.
• Use the finest holes of the grater, or the small shredding disk of a food processor, so the dough is smooth and easy to pipe.
• Let the cheese and butter come to room temperature before mixing; cold dough is almost impossible to press.
• Choose a truly extra-sharp, aged cheddar for the boldest flavor.
• Bake until just lightly golden on the bottom; over-baked cheese straws turn bitter.

Variations and substitutions

• Pecan cheese wafers: roll the dough into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls, flatten them with a fork and press a pecan half on top of each; bake 15 to 18 minutes.
• Extra spicy: increase the cayenne to 3/4 tsp and add 1/4 tsp dry mustard.
• Parmesan and herb: replace 2 oz (55 g) of the cheddar with finely grated Parmesan and add 1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary.
• Pepper jack: use pepper jack instead of cheddar and skip the cayenne for a milder heat.
• Gluten-free: use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum; chill the dough 15 minutes before shaping.
• Kid-friendly: leave out the cayenne and use mild cheddar.

Make ahead

You can make the dough up to 3 days ahead. Wrap it tightly and refrigerate it, then let it stand at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes, until soft enough to press or roll. Shaped, unbaked straws can be frozen on the baking sheet until firm, then packed in freezer bags for up to 3 months; bake them straight from the freezer, adding 2 to 3 minutes. Baked cheese straws keep for up to 2 weeks, so you can make them well before a party.

Storage and reheating

Store cooled cheese straws in an airtight tin or container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, with parchment between the layers. To freeze, pack the baked straws in a rigid freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature for 20 minutes. If they lose some crispness, re-crisp them on a baking sheet in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes and let them cool before serving.