Cheese straws

After talking and hemming and hawing about it forever I finally bought a cookie press. It’s so much fun! I can’t believe I waited so long. I just had to try cheese straws first, and they were fantastic.

They also kind of made me want to wear a big hat and drink mint juleps, but that’s for another day.

The cookie press I bought came with a recipe book with this recipe included; I changed it to use butter instead of margarine, because yuck.

Cheese straws

Yield: 5 dozen 3 inch straws

Ingredients

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, graded
3/4 cup butter, well softened
1 egg
1 tsp hot sauce (I used Louisiana)
1 3/4 cups flour, sifted
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you like the heat)

Instructions

Preheat oven 400 F
Blend cheese, butter, egg and hot sauce and set aside
Sift together flour and spices, then knead into butter mixture, either by hand or in a food processor with the metal blade
Use cookie press with star disk, or pipe out of ziptop bag onto ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for 10-13 minutes until golden brown. Remove immediately to cooling rack; store in airtight container when completely cooled

By the way, show of hands: who has had cheese straws before? Turns out my lived-in-the-South-all-her-life friend Vanessa had never had them. What about y’all?

14 thoughts on “Cheese straws”

Cheese straws are magical! Welcome to the cookie press club. And word, no recipe should ever ever ever include margarine over butter.

Right? I have no tolerance for margarine.

Dude, I love cheese straws. My mom’s recipe has rice krispies in it. I’m wanting to try the palmetto cheese recipe too.

I’ve never used my cookie press. In fact, I think I might have donated it. But maybe it’s hidden in the back somewhere…..

Erin @ One Particular Kitchen

January 14, 2014 at 2:23 pm

Ooh I want to see your mom’s recipe! And yes, should definitely try the Palmetto cheese one. How could it not be awesome?

I live for cheese straws!!!! I absolutely love them. If you ever have a big hat wearing, mint julep sippin’, cheese straw eatin’ party, I am so there!! And margarine? Really? My inner Paula Deen just cried a little.