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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick; 2-ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and softened
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon half-and-half
Preparation
Step 1
Prep: 30 min., Bake: 12 min. per batch, Cool: 30 min. If you like yours less spicy, use the smaller amount of red pepper.
Yield: Makes about 2 dozen
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor; pulse in 5-second intervals until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add half-and-half, and process 10 seconds or until dough forms a ball.
2. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface, and roll into an 8- x 10-inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick). Cut dough with a sharp knife into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide strips, dipping knife in flour after each cut to ensure clean cuts. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until ends are slightly browned. Cool on baking sheets on a wire rack 30 minutes. Break into desired lengths.
Note: To make cheese rounds, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness, and cut with a 1 1/2-inch round cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake and cool as directed. Freeze baked cheese straws or rounds in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic freezer bag up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.