A few months ago, I did something I do all the time: make a recipe for this column.
Unfortunately, I forgot a crucial step: taking a photo of the end product.
We hosted a stop on a wine walk in Newton, and after looking up good pairings for wine, I landed on homemade cheese straws.
I don’t know why they’re called straws, since they don’t have a hole in them, but I’m sure someone had a reason at some point.
I made a huge batch of them, and every last one disappeared by the end of the night. They were a huge hit, and I couldn’t wait to share them with you.
Until I looked through my camera roll and realized I was going to need to make them again.
Well, it’s finally time. I whipped up another batch to share with folks last week, but this time, I managed to remember to take my photos. It was a good thing, too, because they were all gone pretty quickly this time, as well.
This recipe comes from the website “Food & Drink” by Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock. You can find the original post at https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cheese-straws. I added more of the seasonings in my version.
Cheese Straws
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated
- 1 2/3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Beat the butter and cheese together for a few minutes until the ingredients are completely combined and look almost spreadable.
- Add in the flour, mustard, salt and cayenne and beat until well combined, and then beat in the two tablespoons of water.
- Once the dough is fully formed, lightly dust your work surface with flour, and knead the dough a few times to make sure it’s in a workable state. If it’s sticky, just add a little more flour.
- Place a large sheet of parchment paper on the work table, and roll out the dough into about a one-quarter-inch thickness, keeping the dough in as much of a square shape as you can.
- Put the dough sheet (still on the parchment) onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15 minutes or until it’s chilled through.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- For baking, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and cut the dough into strips that are about six inches long and one-quarter-inch wide.
- Place the strips about one-half inch apart on the prepared sheets. Bake each sheet by itself for 12 to 15 minutes or until the straws are crisp and browned around the edges. Let them cool on the counter before placing them in an airtight container.
These reminded me a bit of a Cheez-It flavor. The sharp cheddar is really enhanced by the mustard and cayenne. And don’t worry about the pepper, they aren’t spicy.
Plus, they do pair really well with a nice glass of wine, but they’d also be good to snack on with pretty much anything.
And the benefit for you is you are under no obligation to take any photos. All you have to do is enjoy.
This piece first appeared in print Oct. 30, 2025.
Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.
