Homemade Cheese Straws

hand removing a cheese straw from a bowl

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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

Servings cheese straws

Calories 53kcal

Author Lisa B.

Ingredients

1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
16 ounces sharp shredded cheddar cheese room temperature
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

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 3/8-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.

Video

Notes

Storage. The cheese straw dough can be made ahead of time. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or seal it in a plastic freezer bag. Store the dough in the refrigerator and use it within four days. Once completely cook, baked cheese straws can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Freezing. I don’t recommend freezing baked cheese straws. Because of their delicate texture, they break apart easily and could turn into crumbs from being jostled around in the freezer. Cheese straw dough, on the other hand, can be frozen. Wrap the dough in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months. Allow the dough to thaw completely in the refrigerator before baking.

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