Cheese Straws

These easy cheese straws are the make-ahead party appetizer of your dreams! Warm, carby, buttery, cheese twists make everyone happy! The crispy bits of cheese on the bottom with the buttery flaky layers are the best! Step-by-step photos teach you how to make this simple starter!

Ingredients

• Frozen Puff Pastry Sheet. You are more than welcome to use homemade puff pastry but I love the ease of store-bought! My favorite is Trader Joe's puff pastry but they only sell it around Christmas time. I like to stock up! Another brand I use all the time is Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry. I like to roll the pastry out just a bit to get it a little thinner and get more straws.
• Large Egg. The egg will act as a binder to hold the cheese to the pastry. You'll also use the egg to brush on top of the pastry so when it bakes you get that gorgeous golden brown glow.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese. I love to use extra sharp cheddar cheese, usually an English one.
• Parmesan Cheese. Pairing parmesan and cheddar is my favorite combo but feel free to use your favorite hard cheeses.
• Spices. I generally just leave it to the cheese but adding a sprinkling of paprika, pepper, or cumin are delicious too! And if you like a little kick then a sprinkling of cayenne pepper would be scrumptious!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 415F/213C and line a half sheet pan with a silicone liner or parchment paper. 

Sprinkle a little all-purpose flour to make a lightly floured work surface then use a rolling pin to roll out one sheet of thawed puff pastry dough to just a little bit longer and wider than it comes.

Crack an egg and whisk together. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash all over the pastry.

Sprinkle the cheese all over on top and if desired add spices now too. Use your clean hand to gently press the cheese into the pastry. 

Use a pizza slicer or a sharp knife to cut the pastry short way into ½" -¾" strips.

Take one strip and twirl both ends at the same time to make a twist. Repeat with all strips.

Lay 1 ½" apart on a baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes to rechill. Use the pastry brush to brush any exposed pastry with egg wash. 

Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Best eaten right away, or the same day. If you are going to use the same cookie sheets for multiple rounds in the oven be sure to let the tray cool down to room temperature before adding the cold cheese straws to bake. Leftovers can keep in an air-tight container for up to three days- reheat in the oven for a few minutes.

How to freeze

You can easily prepare the cheese straws without the second egg wash and place them on a sheet pan to flash freeze then after a few hours transfer them to a freezer-safe container for up to a week. Then just bake directly from the freezer, you may need to add a minute or two to the baking time.

Can you double

You can easily double or triple this recipe, just make sure you store the cheese straws in the fridge or freezer before baking. Puff pastry needs to be COLD going into the oven to get those layers!

★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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