Recipe: Nancy's Cheese Straws

Nancy's Cheese Straws

Makes About 65 Cheese Straws

Ingredients

6 ounces (1-1/2 sticks) butter, melted
3/4 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon medium ground black pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, pour the butter over the cheese while the butter is still hot. Mix the cheese and butter with a mixer until blended. Add the cayenne, black pepper, if desired, and salt. Add the flour, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition until a soft dough forms.

Spoon the dough into a cookie press or gun fitted with a tip that will make strips. Or load a pastry bag with a star-burst tip. Press the dough out onto an ungreased cookie sheet to form 2-inch strips.

Bake the cheese straws for 20 minutes, watching carefully, until lightly browned or a dark golden color. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. These can be stored for up to 1 week in an airtight container, or they may be frozen for a month.

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Buy the Book!

from:
The Doughmakers Cookbook
125 Recipes for Success in Baking and Business
by Bette LaPlante and Diane Cuvelier
ReganBooks
Hardcover; $24.95, $38.95 (CAN); 272 pages
ISBN 0060569891
Recipe reprinted by permission.