Easy Cheese Straws

Total Time

Prep: 20 min. Bake: 15 min. + cooling

Makes

2-1/2 dozen

Updated: Aug. 22, 2023
The five ingredients in this cheese straws recipe transform into long, crisp cracker sticks. The hand-held snacks make for easy mingling at parties.—Elizabeth Robinson, Conroe, Texas

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Beat in cheese until blended. Combine flour, salt and cayenne; stir into cheese mixture until a dough forms. Roll into a 15x6-in. rectangle. Cut into thirty 6-in. strips. Gently place strips 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  2. Bake until lightly browned, 15-20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Cheese Straws Tips

How else can you shape cheese straws?

You can transfer the dough to a piping bag or Ziploc bag and pipe it into 6-in. strips directly onto your baking sheet. The beauty of a piping bag is that you can change out the tips to create different textures and shapes.

How can you serve cheese straws?

These cheese straws are the perfect accompaniment to your charcuterie board or butter board. They easily become the star of the board!

How should you store cheese straws?

To maximize freshness, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

—Ellie Crowley, Taste of Home Culinary Assistant

Nutrition Facts

1 cheese straw: 72 calories, 5g fat (4g saturated fat), 16mg cholesterol, 106mg sodium, 4g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 0 fiber), 2g protein.