Cheese straws are a classic Southern snack.
I love their texture, saltiness, and strong cheesy flavor.
Then I stumbled upon cheese straws and my snacking life changed forever.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
What Are Cheese Straws?
Cheese straws are squarely between a cheese cracker and a savory shortbread in a fun, straw-like shape.
Youll most commonly see cheese straws with a ribbed shape, but theyre sometimes made by twisting the dough.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
No matter how you shape them, theyre a fun snack thats sure to disappear fast.
This creates uniform, thick straws with crunchy ribs.
If you dont own a cookie press, dont worry.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
As you transfer the strips to the baking sheet, twist the dough for a playful shape.
Slice them into 1/4-inch coins using a sharp knife.
Why Self-Rising Flour?
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
I like to use self-rising flour for cheese straws because I always have it on hand.
This is, I think, a Southern thing.
My grandmother used self-rising flourfor biscuitsand self-rising cornmeal for cornbread, and Im carrying on the tradition.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
The added baking powder and salt give the straws a superior texture and flavor.
The leavening means they wont have an incredibly defined shape, but I think its a worthy trade-off.
Pile them up in a bowl or stand them up in cups for a fun presentation.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
They go especially well with wine.
They also make a nice giftI sometimes add them to cookie boxes as a much-needed savory break.
For the best results, freshly grate the cheese instead of using pre-grated.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
you’ve got the option to also do this in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer.
Add the dry ingredients and beat on low speed to combine.
If needed, add the water, a teaspoon at a time, until a dough forms.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
The dough should resemble play doughsoft, not dry, but not sticky.
Press a piece of plastic wrap directly against the dough and let it rest while the oven preheats.
Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Once the oven has preheated, scoop the dough into a cookie press fitted with a large star disk.
Pipe onto the baking sheet in 2- or 3-inch lines, leaving about a 1/2 inch between each straw.
Alternatively, roll out half of the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle 1/8-inch thick.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Use a pizza or pasta cutter or sharp knife to cut into 1/2-inch strips.
Twist them several times or leave them as plain strips, and arrange on the baking sheets.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Tip
you’ve got the option to make the straws whatever length you want.
As long as they are the same thickness, the bake time remains the same.
If youre baking 2 baking sheets at once, rotate them halfway through.
You may need to add a minute or 2 to the bake time.
Let cool on the pan.
Cool completely before serving.
Store for up to a week in an airtight container.
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