Derby Day Cheese Straws (Printable View)

Buttery cheese straws with sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and a hint of cayenne for a crisp snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy

01 - 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
02 - 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
03 - 0.5 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

→ Pantry

04 - 1.25 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
06 - 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
07 - 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Optional

08 - 1 to 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 a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle approximately 0.25 inch thick.
06 - Cut dough into strips approximately 0.5 inch wide and 6 inches long.
07 - Transfer strips to prepared baking sheet, spacing slightly apart.
08 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and crisp.
09 - Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They come together in barely half an hour, so you can make them the morning of a party without stress.
  • The combination of sharp cheddar and Parmesan hits that savory sweet spot that keeps people reaching for just one more.
  • They're buttery and crispy in a way that makes you feel fancy without any pretension.
02 -
  • If you skip chilling the butter or let it get warm, your straws will be dense and cakey instead of crispy—I learned this the hard way on my second batch.
  • Don't overbake them thinking more color equals more crispy; they brown quickly and can go from golden to bitter in about two minutes, so set a timer and stay near the oven.
03 -
  • If you find yourself making these regularly, grate your cheeses and measure everything dry a few hours ahead so you're just assembling when guests arrive.
  • The secret that changed my game was realizing that bringing all ingredients to room temperature except the butter ensures they bind properly while the cold butter does the heavy lifting for texture.
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