Saturday, April 24, 2010

Cheese Straws


These cheese straws are truly outstanding. They're crispy and super cheesy and so so delicious. And easy to make. There really isn't much else to say about them aside from urging you to make them asap!


If this sounds good, you might also like:
Cheddar and Black Pepper Scones
Apple Cheddar Scones
Savoury Green Onion Ricotta Muffins
Caramelized Onion, Sage and Cheddar Muffins

Cheese Straws
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into 4 pieces
3/4 cup flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon milk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a food processor, combine the cheese, butter, flour, salt and red pepper in five 5-second pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk and process until the dough forms a ball, about 10 seconds.

3. On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into an 8- by 10-inch rectangle that is 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife (or a pizza or pastry wheel), cut the dough into thin 8-inch strips, each 1/4- to 1/3-inch wide (dipping the knife in flour after every few inches ensures a clean cut). Gently transfer the strips to an ungreased cookie sheet (I used my Silpats), leaving at least 1/4-inch between them. The dough may sag or may break occasionally in the transfer, but don’t be concerned — just do your best. The straws can be any length, from 2 to 10 inches.

4. Bake the straws on the middle rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the ends are barely browned. Remove from the oven and set the cookie sheet on a rack to cool.

5. Serve at room temperature. Cheese straws will keep in the refrigerator, in a sealed container, for two days. They will not last an hour at a party.

17 comments:

Joanne said...

Mmmm cheese. I definitely would not be able to put these down. They are just the sort of salty snack that I would become addicted to.

Chef Aimee said...

I love cheese straws and sometimes wished I lived in the south where they are more abundant! These look so yummy.

Dana said...

I wish I had remembered these before the catering gig I had last night! I'm sure they would have disappeared FAST!

Katrina said...

MMm, those look really good. I can just hear the crunch!

Tia said...

i'm going to make these tomorrow!!! :) they will so love me at work. thanks to YOU!

Hannah said...

Those do look good! And I just happen to have some pretty good vegan "cheddar" on hand right now... Perhaps I'll have to give them a spin. ;)

kickpleat said...

These look too perfect. I would definitely hover over these at a party.

Steph said...

I'm not normally a huge fan of cheese, but these look like they were addicting to snack on.

fresh365 said...

These are great! I can't tell you how many time I have made them in the past few months. Super addictive!

Colleen said...

Looks like a tasty little app!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

OK, you talked me into it. They look delicious!

Juliana said...

Wow, this cheese snacks look so crunchy and tasty :-)

Mal said...

These look great! The ingredients call for milk, but the directions say half-and-half. Can I use either one? I always have milk on hand, so I hope that will work!

eatme_delicious said...

Mallory: Oops I forgot to edit the directions, sorry! Yes you can use milk, that's what I used. =)

Johanna GGG said...

I love your cheesy recipes - must try this as sylvia is on a cheese loving streak - and I have been in search of crispy cheese baking lately

Pam Walter said...

For a cheese-a-holic such as myself, these are a must do. http://blog.sweetservices.com/sweetscandyblog/

Unknown said...

Mmmmm... cheese!! Yumm!