Derby Day Cheese Straws (Printable)

Crispy, buttery cheese straws spiked with Parmesan and cayenne for a savory, flavorful snack.

# What You Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
02 - ½ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
03 - ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

→ Pantry

04 - 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
05 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
06 - ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
07 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional

08 - 1–2 tablespoons cold water as needed

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a food processor, combine cheddar, Parmesan, flour, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Pulse until mixed.
03 - Add cold butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - If dough is too dry, add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together.
05 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll into rectangle approximately ¼ inch thick.
06 - Cut into strips approximately ½ inch wide and 6 inches long.
07 - Transfer strips to prepared baking sheet, spacing slightly apart.
08 - Bake for 12–15 minutes or until golden and crisp.
09 - Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're genuinely easy to make, yet they look impressive enough to pull out for unexpected guests.
  • Once you taste that contrast between buttery crispness and sharp cheese warmth, you'll find yourself making them for every gathering.
02 -
  • Warm butter is the enemy of crispy; if your kitchen is hot, chill your bowl and even your flour before starting.
  • These taste best eaten the same day, but they'll keep in an airtight container for two days if you can resist them that long.
03 -
  • Grate your cheese yourself just before starting; the fresher it is, the better it melts and the less it separates during baking.
  • The dough comes together faster and crisper if everything is cold, so don't skip that step of chilling your butter.
Go Back