Derby Day Cheese Straws (Printable Version)

Buttery, crisp cheddar and Parmesan straws with a spicy kick, ideal for snacks or gatherings.

# Components:

→ 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

# Directions:

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 well mixed.
03 - Add cold cubed butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
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 a rectangle approximately ¼ inch thick.
06 - Cut dough into strips approximately ½ inch wide and 6 inches long.
07 - Transfer strips to prepared baking sheet with slight spacing between each piece.
08 - Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden and crispy throughout.
09 - Allow straws to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They're ready in under 30 minutes, which means you can make them fresh even on a busy day.
  • The combination of sharp cheddar and Parmesan creates a complexity that feels fancy without requiring fancy technique.
  • One batch yields enough for a crowd, and they stay crisp for hours, making them perfect for entertaining.
02 -
  • I learned the hard way that room-temperature butter creates a greasy, dense result instead of those delicate, crispy layers—cold butter is non-negotiable.
  • One batch I skipped the parchment paper and they stuck terribly, teaching me that this small step isn't just convenience, it's essential to success.
03 -
  • Grate your cheese fresh and keep everything cold—this is the secret to that shattered, delicate crispness that makes people stop mid-conversation.
  • Watch them during the final few minutes of baking because the difference between golden and burnt happens in seconds once they start darkening.
Return