CHEDDAR CHEESE STRAWS

By BobD

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
• 8 ounces deep-yellow, extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated or finely shredded
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (add a pinch more if you like them a bit hotter)
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sifted flour

Details

Servings 5
Adapted from events.nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the butter with the cheese and the seasonings in a large bowl. Add the flour and knead into a smooth dough.

Pack the dough in batches into a cookie press and press through the flat, ridged-line opening onto an ungreased cookie sheet to form ''straws'' of about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in length.

Bake until golden (do not let them brown) and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the pan with a metal spatula and let cool. Serve or store in an airtight container. (The straws are very fragile.)