Serve these Classic Southern Cheese Straws with dip or as a cocktail snack

About the recipe

We used Kraft Cracker Barrel cheese for this recipe. Cracker Barrel cheese is packaged in 10-ounce logs, so you can either cut off 2 ounces (one-fifth) of the logs, or you can use all 10 ounces and increase the quantities of the other ingredients by 25% (10 ounces of each variety of cheese; 2 1/2 cups flour; 1 scant teaspoon salt; 3/4 to 1 scant teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter).

Be sure to knead this dough thoroughly before attempting to force it through a cookie press. It should be very pliant and warmed from the heat of your hands.

Recipe courtesy of Sue Landa.

Serves: 15 to 20

Hands on time: 30 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

8 ounces extra-sharp orange cheddar cheese, grated, at room temperature (about 2 cups)

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated, at room temperature (about 2 cups)

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very soft

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, hand mix both cheeses with the flour, butter, salt and red pepper flakes by hand (not mixer or food processor). When the dough is soft and pliable, put through a cookie press using the star tip attachment, making long rows of straws on a cookie sheet. Bake until just starting to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Per serving: 30 calories (percent of calories from fat, 62), 1 gram protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 2 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 7 milligrams cholesterol, 54 milligrams sodium.