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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Published: Dec 8, 2024 · Modified: Feb 9, 2025 by AshleyFreeman ·

    How to Make 4-Ingredient Southern Cheese Straws

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    With only 4 ingredients, this cheese straws recipe is perfect for the holidays. Whether you're looking for an easy appetizer to add to your buffet or a nibble to give as a Christmas gift, these are just the ticket. They're crispy, and they've got a hint of spiciness from cayenne pepper. You're going to love them!

    4-Ingredient Southern Cheese Straws in red and green-striped cups on a red napkin-lined white platter with bottle brush Christmas trees in the background.

    We always had cheese straws around the holidays. Mom would make a batch and store them in little metal tins--some to keep for ourselves and some to give away.

    My college bestie, Susie, is also well-known for her cheese straws. She makes them just like I do--with Old English cheese spread and her go-to cookie press.

    Word to the wise: You'll want to use a heavy-duty cookie press to make these. I've tried using a piping bag and open star tip, and I think my muscles are still recovering.

    The dough is really firm (which is what you want). A cookie press makes all the difference and will safe you a lot of hassle.

    For a festive holiday buffet, these are also great served alongside this Christmas tree cheese board. Or, as I mentioned before, these are great for holiday gift giving.

    I like to package some of these inside a basket along with my homemade Doo Dads snack mix, Southern chow chow, and Christmas pinwheel cookies for the ultimate homemade present. So, are you ready to make these delicious cheese straws? Let's do it.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Tasty Tip
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Related
    • Pairing
    • 🍽Get the recipe
    • Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
    • Food safety

    Ingredients

    Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this best cheese straws recipe:

    Ingredients for Guyanese Cheese Straws.
    • salted butter
    • Old English cheese spread
    • all-purpose flour
    • cayenne pepper

    (See recipe card for quantities.)

    Instructions

    Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!

    Beating butter until creamy in a clear bowl with an aqua hand mixer.
    1. First, beat the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
    Whipped Old English cheese and butter in a glass bowl with an aqua hand mixer.
    1. Next, add the cheese spread and beat until smooth.
    Shaping the cheese and butter dough with a hand in a large glass bowl.
    1. Then, stir in the flour and cayenne pepper and mix just until combined.
    Piped cheese straws on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
    1. Finally, pipe the dough into 3 inch strips onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then bake at 350°F for 14 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly golden brown.

    Hint: Be careful not to overwork the dough. If you do, it'll turn out really tough instead of crisp.

    Substitutions

    Need to make some ingredient swaps? Here are some thoughts:

    • Butter - If you only have unsalted butter, that's okay. Just add ¼ teaspoon kosher salt to the dough.
    • Cayenne Pepper - Out of cayenne pepper? You can simply omit it from the dough. Or, add a little crushed red pepper flakes instead.
    • Gluten-Free - Use cup-for-cup gluten-free flour to make these gluten-free cheese straws.

    Variations

    Here are some more ways to give this recipe a different spin:

    • Spicy - Like more of a kick? Increase the amount of cayenne pepper to ½ teaspoon.
    • Smoky - Add some smoked paprika to the dough to give the cheese straws a lovely smoky flavor.
    • Cheese and Pecan Wafers - Instead of cheese straws, make cheese crackers. Roll the dough into a 1-inch log and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and place a whole pecan into the center of each dough round. Bake until the cheese wafers are lightly browned and set.

    Equipment

    Here's the equipment you'll need for this recipe:

    • dry measuring cups
    • measuring spoons
    • large bowl
    • hand mixer
    • cookie press
    • rimmed baking sheets

    Storage

    Store the cheese straws in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

    Freeze the cheese straws in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.

    Tasty Tip

    I highly recommend using a heavy duty cookie press instead of a pastry bag and tip for this recipe. The dough is very firm, and a cookie press makes easy work of piping.

    Frequently asked questions

    Why are my cheese straws not crispy?

    Cheese straws will be tender and soft instead of crispy if they're underbaked. Bake until they're lightly browned and cool on wire racks so that the air can flow around and keep them crisp.

    What kind of press do you use for cheese straws?

    You need a heavy-duty cookie press that'll hold up to the stiff dough. OXO is a great option.

    How do you use a cookie press for cheese straws?

    Place part of the cheese mixture in the cookie press tube. Fit with a star tip and squeeze the handle. Pipe out into long strips before cutting into equal lengths.

    Do cheese straws need to be refrigerated?

    I recommend refrigerating the cheese straws for at least 30 minutes before baking so they keep their ridges. The cheese straws don't need to be refrigerated after they're baked.

    Where do I find Old English cheese in the grocery store?

    Every store is different--I've found it in the Italian products aisle next to the Velveeta and also in the dairy aisle next to eggs and butter.

    Related

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Square metal pan filled with homemade party mix (Doo Dad's) with a wooden spoon and small wooden bowls filled with the mix off to the side.
      Mom's Homemade Holiday Party Mix (Doo Dads Recipe)
    • Round metal tray of Cheddar Cheese Sausage Balls without Bisquick with sweet chili sauce in a white bowl, ranch is a metal bowl, a cream colored table runner, a small white appetizer plate with two sausage balls on it, red topped toothpicks, and yellow wine glasses off to the side.
      The Best Cheddar Cheese Sausage Balls (without Bisquick)
    • Jalapeno Pimiento Cheese in an aqua enamel bowl with a wooden handled spreader resting on the side and surrounded by a variety of crackers on a dark wooden board.
      Easy Southern Jalapeño Pimiento Cheese Spread
    • White oval platter of Short-Cut Sautéed Onion, Ham, and Cheese Empanadas with a teal checked napkin, small aqua plates, and glasses of beer.
      Short-Cut Sautéed Onion, Ham, and Cheese Empanadas

    Pairing

    These are my favorite dishes to serve with these cheese straws:

    • Glasses of Leveled Up Trader Joe's Sangria with fresh cranberries, orange slices, and green apple chunks plus cinnamon sticks and rosemary sprigs as garnish.
      Leveled Up Trader Joe's Sangria for the Holidays
    • Two glasses of Autumn Bourbon Rickey garnished with lime and apple slices in front of a wooden tray with a bottle of bourbon, ice bucket, extra glass, and glass bowl of extra garnishes.
      Autumn Bourbon Rickey Cocktail with Maple Syrup
    • Clear glasses filled with Prickly Pear Moscow Mule and garnished with a lime wheel and fuchsia edible flowers with one glass in the front and three in the back on a wicker tray lined with a white linen napkin.
      Prickly Pear Cactus Moscow Mule (Vodka Cocktail)
    • Two glass mugs of Bourbon Black Tea Hot Toddy on a wooden board.
      The Best Spiced Bourbon Black Tea Hot Toddy Recipe

    🍽Get the recipe

    4-Ingredient Southern Cheese Straws in red and green-striped cups on a red napkin-lined white platter with bottle brush Christmas trees in the background.

    4-Ingredient Southern Cheese Straws

    A hint of spice and a whole lotta crunch, these Southern cheese straws are the perfect nibble for your next get together. Add them to a charcuterie board or give them as gifts to spread some holiday cheer.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine: American, Southern
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 14 minutes minutes
    Refrigerating Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 dozen

    Equipment

    • dry measuring cups
    • measuring spoons
    • large bowl
    • hand mixer
    • cookie press
    • rimmed baking sheets

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup salted butter, softened
    • 2 (5-ounce) jars Old English cheese spread
    • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

    Instructions

    • Beat the butter in a large bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the cheese spread and beat until blended.
    • Add the flour and cayenne pepper and stir just until the dough is combined. (Do not over-mix.)
    • Spoon the dough into a cookie press and pipe into 3-inch long strings onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate the cheese straws for at least 30 minutes.
    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 14 minutes or until the cheese straws are firm and lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 1 week.

    Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips

    When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:

    • Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
    • When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
    • I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
    • When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.

    Food safety

    Keep these few food safety things in mind when making this recipe

    • Don't leave leftovers sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    More Appetizers

    • Cast iron skillet filled with hot Mexican street corn dip with cream cheese on a wooden board surrounded by a blue checked napkin and small white enamel appetizer plates.
      Hot Mexican Street Corn Dip with Cream Cheese
    • Oval platter topped with yellow and blue tortilla chips and a wooden bowl filled with 4 Ingredient Guacamole with a green striped towel on the side.
      Easy 4-Ingredient Guacamole Recipe from Scratch
    • Three small wooden plates topped with tortilla chips and colorful bowls of Restaurant-Style Queso Dip.
      Amazing Restaurant Style Queso Dip (10 Minute Recipe)
    • A dark wooden cutting board topped with triangles of jerk chicken quesadillas with a teal enamel bowl filled with pineapple salsa on the side and a stack of plates with some quesadillas on top.
      Jerk Chicken Quesadillas with Pineapple Salsa

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tisha says

      January 31, 2025 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      These were so fun to make and are going to be perfect for a game day celebration

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        February 01, 2025 at 8:46 am

        Yes! The perfect snack for game day!

        Reply
    2. Nisha says

      January 30, 2025 at 5:03 pm

      5 stars
      These are so delicious loved them and they got over in no time! Can't wait to make them again.

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        February 01, 2025 at 8:46 am

        Yay! I'm so glad Nisha!

        Reply
    3. Nicole Kendrick says

      January 30, 2025 at 12:21 pm

      5 stars
      These are amazing! I love how simple they are and how good they taste.

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        February 01, 2025 at 8:45 am

        Thanks Nicole! So glad you like them!

        Reply
    4. Sonja says

      January 30, 2025 at 9:47 am

      5 stars
      You were right about the cookie press *sigh*. I got my daily workout in before giving up and just cutting the dough instead of piping, as I only had a piping bag.
      But honestly, apart from the lack of ridges in my non-cookie press version, these were utterly more-ish! Made a herbed sourcream dip to go with them and they vanished in no time.

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        February 01, 2025 at 8:45 am

        Haha! I know so many people who can relate. Cutting the dough instead of using the cookie press is a great solution!

        Reply
    5. Liz says

      January 30, 2025 at 7:48 am

      5 stars
      SO easy to make and addicitive!!! I'm going to make another batch for our Super Bowl gathering!

      Reply
      • AshleyFreeman says

        February 01, 2025 at 8:45 am

        You're right--these are perfect for the Super Bowl!

        Reply
    5 from 5 votes

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    Photo of Ashley Strickland Freeman in a kitchen.

    Hi, I'm Ashley, "your best friend in the kitchen." I'm a food stylist, culinary producer, editor, travel junkie, and author of The Duke's Mayonnaise Cookbook from Charleston, SC. Thanks for stopping by Little Black Skillet!

    More about me →

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