Homemade Cheese Straws

4.72 from 7 votes

A beloved Southern treat, these spicy little cheese straws are simple to make and even more addictive to eat.

Course Appetizer, Snacks

Cuisine American, Southern

Cook Time 12

Cooling time 5

Total Time 17

Servings cheese straws

Calories 85kcal

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cheese until the cheese is evenly mixed throughout.
Add the flour, salt, and cayenne pepper.
With the mixer on low, mix the dough until the flour is completely incorporated. Then turn the mixer up to medium and continue to mix until the dough comes together.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Using a cookie press, form the dough into 2 ½ - 3-inch straws leaving ¼-inch of space between each straw.
If you don’t have a cookie press, roll the dough out to ⅜-inch thick. Cut the strips 1 ½ inches wide and 2 ½ to 3 inches long.
Bake the straws for 12 minutes until they start to turn golden brown in some places.
Allow the straws to cool on the baking sheet for about five minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Use freshly shredded cheese: Pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that can prevent the dough from coming together smoothly. Shredding from a block gives the best texture and flavor.
Room-temperature ingredients matter: Softened butter and room-temp cheese blend more easily and help the dough form without crumbling.
Don’t overbake: Cheese straws should be lightly golden, not browned. Overbaking can make them bitter.
Spacing is important: Because they don’t spread much, you only need about ¼ inch between each straw—great for baking large batches at once.
Let them cool before moving: Cheese straws firm up as they cool. Moving them too soon can cause breakage.
Flavor develops over time: These taste even better the next day as the cheese and spices settle into the dough.
Avoid humid storage: Moisture softens cheese straws. Store in an airtight container away from humidity to keep them crispy.