Cheese straws were invented in 1920s Charleston as cocktail party finger food—the twist pattern prevents crumbling when drunk.
Flakey Cheese Straws
Indulge in these irresistible cheese straws that are irresistibly buttery and perfectly flaky! With a delightful blend of sharp cheddar and a hint of paprika, these crispy bites are a showstopper for any gathering. Whip them up using simple folding techniques for that perfect texture—your taste buds will thank you!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 350ml lukewarm water (11.8 fl oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 80g cold butter (5.6 tbsp)
- 120g Chedder grated (4.24 oz)
- 80g Parmesan grated (2.82 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 500g plain flour (4 cup)
- 7g instant yeast (0.25 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 10g salt (0.35 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix flour, yeast & salt together, add the lukewarm water and stir really well.
- 2
Add the cheese and mix again well. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Grate the cold butter into the dough and fold it over 6 times gently.
- 4
Cover and rest in the fridge overnight.
- 5
Preheat oven to 250C and add a dish with water to create steam.
- 6
Flour the surface, top of the dough and your hand. Stretch the dough into a rectangle.
- 7
Cut the dough into thirds and then each third into 4 to create 12 pieces.
- 8
Twist each piece gently in the middle and the ends. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- 9
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 230C and remove the water.
- 10
Bake for another 10 minutes, then flip the sticks and bake for 5-7 minutes until golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Keep butter at 35-40°F when grating to prevent melting from hand heat - cold butter creates distinct fat layers that steam during baking for maximum flakiness.ingredient35-40°F
- ✓Fold the grated butter exactly 6 times to create 64 distinct layers (2^6) - more folds break down fat barriers, fewer folds reduce lamination.technique64 layers
- ✓Preheat your oven to 482°F (250°C) and place the steam dish on the bottom rack 15 minutes before baking to ensure proper oven spring from immediate steam contact.timing15 minutes pre-steam
- ✓Stretch dough when it's 38-42°F (straight from fridge) because gluten is less elastic when cold, preventing tough, chewy straws.technique38-42°F
- ✓Twist each piece only 1.5-2 full rotations to maintain laminated structure - over-twisting breaks butter layers and reduces flakiness by 30-40%.technique1.5-2 rotations
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Cheese straws were invented in 1920s Charleston as cocktail party finger food—the twist pattern prevents crumbling when drunk.
Flakey Cheese Straws
Indulge in these irresistible cheese straws that are irresistibly buttery and perfectly flaky! With a delightful blend of sharp cheddar and a hint of paprika, these crispy bites are a showstopper for any gathering. Whip them up using simple folding techniques for that perfect texture—your taste buds will thank you!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(1)
- 350ml lukewarm water (11.8 fl oz)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(3)
- 80g cold butter (5.6 tbsp)
- 120g Chedder grated (4.24 oz)
- 80g Parmesan grated (2.82 oz)
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- 500g plain flour (4 cup)
- 7g instant yeast (0.25 oz)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- 10g salt (0.35 oz)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix flour, yeast & salt together, add the lukewarm water and stir really well.
- 2
Add the cheese and mix again well. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Grate the cold butter into the dough and fold it over 6 times gently.
- 4
Cover and rest in the fridge overnight.
- 5
Preheat oven to 250C and add a dish with water to create steam.
- 6
Flour the surface, top of the dough and your hand. Stretch the dough into a rectangle.
- 7
Cut the dough into thirds and then each third into 4 to create 12 pieces.
- 8
Twist each piece gently in the middle and the ends. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- 9
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 230C and remove the water.
- 10
Bake for another 10 minutes, then flip the sticks and bake for 5-7 minutes until golden.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Keep butter at 35-40°F when grating to prevent melting from hand heat - cold butter creates distinct fat layers that steam during baking for maximum flakiness.ingredient35-40°F
- ✓Fold the grated butter exactly 6 times to create 64 distinct layers (2^6) - more folds break down fat barriers, fewer folds reduce lamination.technique64 layers
- ✓Preheat your oven to 482°F (250°C) and place the steam dish on the bottom rack 15 minutes before baking to ensure proper oven spring from immediate steam contact.timing15 minutes pre-steam
- ✓Stretch dough when it's 38-42°F (straight from fridge) because gluten is less elastic when cold, preventing tough, chewy straws.technique38-42°F
- ✓Twist each piece only 1.5-2 full rotations to maintain laminated structure - over-twisting breaks butter layers and reduces flakiness by 30-40%.technique1.5-2 rotations