These Cheese Straws are incredibly addictive. They’re quick and easy to make which is good because they won’t last long and you’ll be making more very soon!
what are cheese straws?
Cheese Straws are the most delicious thin strips of pastry which are heavily flavoured with cheese. Depending on the recipe, different flavourings are added.
Their origin is unknown but they are popular in the UK and Southern US.
They’re flaky, buttery and packed with cheesy goodness making them seriously addictive!
Cheese Straws are quick and simple to make
Cheese is something people are very passionate about. And who can blame them when you can use it to make tasty little things like these Cheese Straws!
A good thing about these is how easy they are to make. You don’t need a mixer or any fancy equipment which makes them great for children to help out with.
As well as being easy to make, they only take around 10 minutes to bake! This means you have no excuse to whip up a batch when you have a spare few minutes.
Which cheese is best to use?
I tend to use cheddar cheese for these Cheese Straws. That is because I always have some in the fridge. My preference is extra mature cheddar because I like the extra saltiness it has.
If you wanted to use another cheese, you could use another hard cheese. Gouda or Gruyere would work well either by themselves or as a mixture with cheddar.
You could also reduce the cheddar amount and add some Parmesan cheese instead. Parmesan has a lovely strong and salty flavour which would work really well.
Get creative – use some Red Leicester or pepper jack cheese. Any hard cheese would probably work well in these Cheese Straws.
If you’re looking for a bit more flavour, try my Chilli Cheese Straws or Cheese & Thyme Straws.
Make your Cheese Straws as neat or rustic as you like
If you want to make the Cheese Straws as perfect looking as possible, you can trim off the edges. This will leave you with a rectangle you can then divide into equal sized straws. The excess you cut off can then be re-rolled and cut again.
Unless you are particular about things looking perfect, I wouldn’t bother with this. Handling the dough as little as possible is the main aim and no one will complain about the Cheese Straws not all being the same size.
It should be quite easy to get the middle dough cut into perfect looking straws though. Those can be the ones you present to fussy guests and the outside ones can be chefs perks!
Traditionally, I think Cheese Straws are cut so they are long and thin. I have been making these since I was a child and I always made squat chubby Cheese Straws so that is what I continue to!
Cheese Straws baking tips
Try to handle the dough as little as possible. When you are bringing the dough together in the bowl, don’t try to knead it.
Gently bring all of the breadcrumb like dough together and then turn it out onto the floured surface. When you are rolling it, again be gentle with it.
When you turn the dough out onto the floured surface it might feel slightly damp. Don’t worry about this because the flour from your work surface will firm the dough up slightly.
Make sure you flour your rolling pin as well as the surface to avoid it sticking.
I use a pallet knife to divide the dough into straws. It is easy because you can then use it to transfer them to the baking tray too.
Need more cheesy goodness? Check out my Cheese Scones and Cheese & Marmite Palmiers.
How long will they keep for?
Cheese Straws aren’t something I think keep for a long time. Once they’re baked, they really are best eaten within two days.
After this they will start to get a little softer and loose their crisp texture. Keeping them in an airtight container helps prevent this.
Being completely honest, if they last longer than two days in your house I will be very surprised. And that applies if you live alone too. They are just too good to not keep eating them!
can you Freeze Cheese Straws?
Yes you can freeze them before or after they have been baked. Although freezing them is an option, I always prefer them freshly baked, especially when they take so little time to make.
If you want to freeze them unbaked, line them on a baking tray and put it in the freezer. After one hour or so they will be firm enough to pack into a container to freeze. You can freeze them for up to 3 months.
When you want to eat them, you can either defrost them before baking or bake them straight from the freezer. If you are baking them from frozen, they will take approximately 5 minutes longer to bake.
You can also freeze the Cheese Straws when they are baked for up to three months. Just make sure they are defrosted before tucking in.
how to serve these cheese straws
They are delicious eaten as soon as they are cool enough from the oven in all honesty. But they also make a great addition to lunch boxes and picnics.
Cheese Straws would also be a great addition to a cheese board along with Caramelised Onion Chutney and Sweet Chilli Jam. Add in some Bacon Wrapped Dates and Honey Mustard Cocktail Sausages for an even more delicious spread.
Other recipes you might like
- Cheese & Chorizo Pinwheels
- Cheese & Mango Chutney Muffins
- Puff Pastry Goat’s Cheese & Onion Tarts
- Cheese & Mustard Twists
- Cheese & Onion Chutney Muffins
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Cheese Straws
These Cheese Straws are incredibly addictive. They're quick and easy to make which is good because they won't last long and you'll be making more very soon!
Ingredients
- 100 g self raising flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp mustard powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 50 g margarine
- 70 g cheese grated
- 1 large egg beaten
To finish
- 1 tbsp semi skimmed milk
- 15 g cheese grated
Instructions
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Heat the oven to 180ºC (fan assisted, 200°C non fan) and spray two baking trays with oil or line with silicone mats
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In a large bowl mix together 100g self raising flour, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp mustard powder and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
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Add 50g margarine and rub into the flour using the tips of your finger tips until it resembles breadcrumbs
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Add 70g cheese and 1 egg and mix until the dough has just started to form a ball
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Lightly dust your surface and roll the dough until it is approximately 5mm thick
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Cut the dough into strips, as big or as small as you like and then put them on the baking tray
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Brush with 1 tbsp milk and sprinkle with 15g cheese. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until golden
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Leave to cool completely on a wire rack before storing
Recipe Notes
Keep in an airtight container for 2 days.
Nutritional information is given as a guide only and my vary.
kat says
These are awesome.
They usually last about 5 minutes when she bring them into work as we all love them so much <3
Sylvie says
These would make such a delicious appetiser and snack! Love the addition of mustard and cayenne for a little extra kick 🙂
Rosemary says
These cheese straws look delicious and I love that they have a bit of a spice. I don’t think they would last very long in our house!
Curly says
Thank you. The cayenne and mustard powder really enhances the flavour of the cheese. They never seem to last very long 🙂
Gineen says
Made these today the best recipe I’ve tried!
Curly says
So pleased you liked them 🙂
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I would devour the lot!
Curly says
Haha that’s the only issue!
Leanne says
This is the perfect recipe, my cheese straws turned out absolutely wonderful thank you! Freshly baked tonight but I can’t see them lasting much longer in my household – they’re simply too yummy to resist!
Curly says
That’s so lovely to hear, so pleased you like them 🙂 Haha that is definitely the problem! They don’t last very long at all!
Christine Corcoran says
Absolutely delicious, always double the amount of ingredients now!
Curly says
Thank you Christine 🙂 Haha you really do need to because they get eaten so quickly!
Sarah Jordan says
These are so delicious. Very light but with a lovely crunchy bite and wonderful heat from the Cayenne. I made these with a local cheese Sussex Charmer which is like a strong cheddar cross parmesan. Definitely a keeper.
Curly says
So pleased you liked them. Ooh that sounds delicious.
kay forrest says
Could i use chilli powder and english mustard instead please ?
Curly says
Hi Kay, yes you can definitely use chilli powder instead. English mustard might add a bit more moisture than the dried mustard so you might need to add less egg or a sprinkle more flour, but yes it should work well. Hope you like them.
Lesley says
You had me at cheese and pastry. These will make a great appetizer, ideal with dips during the party season. That is of course assuming I don’t eat them all straight out of the oven!
Curly says
It is a constant struggle. I ate 5 between the time they came out of the oven and when I photographed them. And that wasn’t a long time haha.
Jo Keohane says
I love cheese straws, these are getting me excited for the festive season. Love how you’ve got a generous helping of cheese melted on the top of these, yum yum. Thanks for sharing.
Curly says
More cheese is always the answer!
Chloe says
I really need to start making cheese straws more often!
Curly says
You do! I forget how easy and delicious they are until I make them again and then I kick myself for not making them more.
Janice says
A party isn’t a party without Cheese Straws! What a super tasty recipe, I like that they are cut wide to get more cheese on them 🙂
Curly says
I’ve always done them like this. This was one of the first recipes I ever remember making as a child, they hold a special place in my heart haha.
Renu says
My kids love cheese and give them an excuse to eat. I would love to give this a try for their evening snacks.
Curly says
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love a cheese straw!
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
YUM! I love cheese straws and these ones look and sound especially delicious! Eb 🙂
Curly says
Thanks Eb 🙂
Rebecca - Glutarama says
I love how rustic-looking you’ve made these cheese straws, they so much more appealing when they’re not uniformed in shape. You just can’t go wrong with a good cheese straw recipe, this one’s getting saved.
Curly says
They’re rustic because I can’t get them in the oven quick enough so I can stuff them in my face!
Sisley White - Sew White says
You can never go wrong with something so easy and utterly delicious!
Curly says
Thanks Sisley, they really are delicious!
Alan Hogwood-Thompson says
I made these cheese straws today, delicious, friends visiting loved them.
I used mustard Seeds and black pepper, it gave the perfect amount of heat.
I also used mature cheddar and Red Leicester mixed.
Great recipe Thank you
JEAN S says
The ingredients for the cheese straws is a bit confusing is reads 1/4 spoon cayenne pepper and then instructions for cooking says 1/2 spoon cayenne pepper and the ingredients reads 70g cheese to be mixed with the flour etc but then instruction 7 says l5g cheese I would have thought the ingredients should read 85 g I tried the straws using 1/2 tsp cayenne and did not like it
Curly says
Hi Jean, sorry for the confusion with the cayenne pepper. It should be 1/4 tsp and I have amended it now. With the cheese I add 70g into the actual dough and then 15g to sprinkle on top. That is why the 70g and 15g are shown separately in the recipe card.
Jerry says
Great recipe. I add paprika as well as mustard powder and cayenne. It adds flavour but isn’t hot. The paprika also adds a nice bit of colour. Cheers
Curly says
Glad you like it Jerry. Ooh lovely!
Gill says
Wow these are amazing I am glad I doubled the mixture!
Curly says
So pleased you like them Gill. I always double the mixture too!
Dorothy Ingram says
They are truly amazing……..EVERYONE should make them ……
Dorothy says
Your delicious cheese straws not only ……..EVERY UK person loves them ……but now gone to Ireland Poland and Portugal……they are worldwide …….BEST EVER recipe……thank you
Curly says
Thank you so much Dorothy, that is high praise indeed!
Richard says
For me these came out quite dry, any tips to prevent this?
Curly says
Hi Richard, you could have possibly baked them a little longer than they needed?
Sandeep Cavill says
Pleasantly surprised by this recipe, they are the BEST homemade cheese straws! I used a mix of extra mature cheddar cheese and parmesan. I also found I needed to use more self raising flour. They tasted great – cheesey with gentle heat from the mustard and cayenne pepper.
Curly says
So pleased you liked them Sandeep, they’re addictive!
Judy says
Delicious! So cheesy yummy. I did need to add a bit more flour,and I only had butter instead of margarine, maybe that was why? But anyway, lovely result.
Curly says
Hi Judy, next time you might not need to add all of the egg but adding a little more flour is also fine. Butter is absolutely fine to use instead, I just use margarine because I can use it straight from the fridge.
Little Ronnie says
I made these this afternoon and they were all gone by 6pm
I will be making them again.
It’s a shame that you didn’t give the gas mark temperature I had to guess it. .
Curly says
So glad you liked them. Gas ovens aren’t very common anymore so it isn’t a unit I give as well as fan assisted and non fan. 180C is a common temperature which is gas mark 4.
UmmH says
Hi , I can’t wait try these ! Just wanted to ask if I could use butter instead of margarine ?
Many thanks
Curly says
yes absolutely