Derby Day Cheese Straws (Printable)

Crispy, buttery cheese straws with sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and a hint of cayenne for flavor.

# What You 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 evenly mixed.
03 - Add cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - If dough is too dry, add cold water one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together.
05 - Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle approximately 0.25 inch thick.
06 - Cut dough into strips 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 - Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're crispy and buttery without any fussy laminating or complicated techniques—just pulse, roll, cut, and bake.
  • The sharp cheddar and Parmesan keep them intensely savory, so a little goes a long way (perfect for satisfying that snack craving).
  • You can twist them, sprinkle them with paprika, or keep them simple, and they still feel like you spent hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Don't skip the food processor—mixing by hand leads to uneven texture and straws that bake inconsistently, some crispy and some disappointingly soft.
  • Cold butter is absolutely essential; if yours has warmed up, cube it fresh and refrigerate it for 10 minutes before pulsing, or you'll end up with a greasy dough instead of a flaky one.
03 -
  • Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to slice through the rolled dough cleanly—a dull knife drags and creates uneven edges that brown unevenly.
  • The moment you smell that sharp, toasted cheese aroma wafting from the oven is your signal to check on them—that's usually about 12 minutes in, and a minute or two longer gets them to perfect crispy-golden.
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