Ready to mix up a batch of cheddar cheese straws?

Southern Living magazine’s Test Kitchen in Birmingham, Ala., says it takes 42 minutes to prepare and bake a batch of 10 dozen cheddar cheese straws…and they’re so easy to make.

“Every Southern food enthusiast has a go-to cheddar cheese straw recipe up his or her sleeve, and we’re making the case for this one. It’s savory and rich with the perfect amount of peppery kick. Ideal for a party snack, this recipe travels well,” said pasty chef Katie Rosenhouse.

 

“In fact, you’ll only need six ingredients that are probably already in your kitchen.” They are: 

Unsalted butter: Softened for easily mixing into a smooth dough. 

Sharp orange cheddar cheese: Shred your own cheese to avoid any anti-caking agents that are present in the pre-shredded version.

 

Salt: To enhance the cheesy flavor. 

Ground red pepper: Adds a little heat. 

Paprika: Adds an earthy warmth. 

All-purpose flour: The base of the dough.

 

For full instructions, access the Jan. 12, 2024, post at southernliving.com. One of the key tools needed is a cookie press with a star-shaped disk to shape the mixture into long ribbons.

 

Rosenhouse said: “The heavy dough can be difficult to pipe by hand, but you can also use a (canvas) pastry bag with a star tip as an alternative.” 

More than a dozen Southern Living readers shared their comments, and here are several noteworthy contributions: 

One person changed up the spices, using smoked paprika, Cajun spices and cayenne pepper. “We like it hot down here in Texas,” she said. 

“I tweaked it a bit by adding some garlic powder and onion powder in for some extra kick. We also did a batch adding Old Bay Seasoning; they were amazing, too.” 

“If a cookie press doesn’t work for you, you can roll them into small balls, and press a pecan half on top.”

 

“I substituted oat flour – this gave them a bit more crunch than the plain flour.” 

“I used extra sharp cheddar instead of sharp, because I wanted that extra bite.” 

Rosenhouse said any cheese straw leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week, or frozen for up to three months. Serve at room temperature or toast lightly in the oven for crisp, warm straws, she said. 

Many food lovers juggle the basic cheese straw recipe. Food writer John Martin Taylor, who is currently living in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, commented: “Truth be told, I like to tinker with cheese straws more than just about anything I cook.

 

“Sometimes, I use that egg yolk and sometimes I don’t. I’ve tried flavoring them with anchovies, red pepper paste, Vietnamese chile paste with garlic as well as a variety of cheeses.” 

Lately, Taylor said he has been adding blue cheese to the mix, but “it should be fairly dry and crumbly, not creamy.” 

Writing for Gun & Garden magazine, Francine Markoukian interviewed Brian Noyes, founder of Red Truck Bakery in Warrenton, Va., about his cheese straws recipe that combine elements from two separate household kitchens – drawing from a grandmother and an aunt, both of whom lived in North Carolina.

“I’ve combined my two family versions into a long, hard cracker straw with a good bit of heat, a hearty hit of three cheeses and a nice rosemary finish.” Noyes said. 

In addition to a quarter-pound of shredded sharp orange cheddar, he adds a quarter-pound of shredded white cheese (equal parts Gruyère and Parmigiano Reggiano).

 

A little research shows that Gruyère is classified as a hard Swiss-type cheese; sweet but slightly salty. Parmigiano-Reggiano is described as a hard, dry cheese made from skimmed or partially skimmed cow's milk. It has a hard pale-golden rind and a straw-colored interior with a rich, sharp flavor.

 

Noyes’ cheese straws recipe is readily available online.