Cheese Straws
Sharp cheddar cheese straws with a hint of cayenne, twisted and baked until crisp for a savory party nibble.
Updated: Nov 9, 2026
Why you'll like it
- Ready in about 40 min.
- Serves 12 — easy to halve or double.
- Easy level — everyday equipment only.
- Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.
This Cheese Straws recipe takes 40 min and makes 12 servings. Cheese straws are a savory party nibble built from sharp cheddar, butter, and flour, and they suit a New Year's Eve table because they bake hours ahead and stay crisp.
Helpful guides
Instructions
Pulse the flour, salt, smoked paprika, and cayenne in a food processor to combine. Add the cold butter and pulse eight to ten times until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, which coats the flour in fat and keeps the straws tender rather than tough.
Add the cheddar and pulse until the dough clumps around the blade, about ten pulses. Warm cheese blends into the flour faster than cold, so let the shreds sit at room temperature for twenty minutes first.
Whisk the egg yolk with the ice water and drizzle it in while pulsing just until the dough forms a ball. Stop there, since extra mixing develops gluten and makes the straws dense. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it, and chill twenty minutes so the butter firms for clean rolling.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and line two sheet pans with parchment. Roll the dough on a floured surface to a quarter-inch rectangle, then cut strips about half an inch wide and six inches long with a sharp knife or pizza wheel.
Twist each strip twice and set it on the parchment an inch apart. Press the ends lightly onto the paper so the twists do not uncoil, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Work in batches and keep unbaked strips chilled while a pan bakes.
Bake twelve to fifteen minutes until the straws are golden at the edges and firm in the center. Cool on the pan five minutes, then move to a rack to crisp completely, since straws finish setting as they cool.
Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats
- If the dough crumbles when rolled, the butter or cheese was too cold. Let the mixture warm a few minutes, add a teaspoon of ice water, and press the dough together with your hands instead of kneading it.
- If the straws spread and lose their twist, the dough went into a hot oven too soft. Chill the twisted strips for ten minutes on the pan before baking so the butter resets and the shape holds.
- If the straws taste greasy, the butter melted before the flour set. Use cold butter, avoid overworking the dough, and bake on parchment at the full 400 degrees F so the structure sets quickly.
- If the straws go soft after a few hours, they absorbed steam. Cool them completely on a rack before storing, and keep them in an airtight tin with a paper towel to catch moisture.
Make it your way
- For a sharper bite, use extra-sharp cheddar and add a tablespoon of grated Parmesan.
- For a seeded version, brush the twists with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy or caraway seeds instead of sesame.
- For a rosemary batch, stir a teaspoon of finely chopped rosemary into the dry ingredients and drop the cayenne to an eighth of a teaspoon.
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).
Reheat at 300 degrees F for five minutes to restore crispness before serving.
Baked straws freeze well for two months; thaw at room temperature in a single layer so they do not sweat.
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. The dough keeps wrapped in the refrigerator for two days or in the freezer for one month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then roll and twist while it is still cool so the butter does not soften before baking.
Why did my straws turn out soft?
Underbaking is the usual reason. Pull a test straw and break it; the center should snap rather than bend. Bake a minute or two longer, and cool completely on a rack so trapped steam escapes instead of settling back into the crumb.
Can I pipe the dough instead?
Yes. A cookie press or a pastry bag fitted with a star tip makes ridged straws about four inches long. The dough needs to be soft enough to pipe but still cold, so work in small batches and refrigerate the bag between pans to keep the butter from melting.