Crispy puff pastry cheese straws are an easy snack or appetizer to serve at your next gathering. With just a handful of ingredients and a little effort, you can create golden brown, crunchy crisps.
Recipe Science
- Work with chilled dough to keep the fat from melting, which prevents the layers from fusing and becoming dense.
- When slicing the puff pastry into strips, use a straight-down motion. No sawing or it will destroy the layers.
- As the pastry bakes, Parmesan melts and crisps as moisture evaporates and proteins coagulate, creating a crunchy texture.
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“I made these as an accompaniment to homemade soup for a family gathering last weekend and they were a big hit. I left out the paprika though. The hardest part for me was twisting them to a nice shape but thankfully I had some help with that task! Will definitely make again.”—Kathy
Why It Works
Add a fun element to your dinner table with these flaky and crisp cheese sticks! They are easy to grab as an appetizer, serve with dips, or on a cheeseboard. You’ll want to load up on a few. My family enjoys them as a savory side with a big plate of pasta or dunked into a hot bowl of soup or chili.
Using store-bought puff pastry makes for a convenient dough to cut, sprinkle, and bake. I share my tips for working with the frozen product to achieve a light and airy texture. I also use Italian-inspired ingredients to flavor the straws, but it’s straightforward to customize. It’s simple to prepare and delivers great taste and presentation.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Puff Pastry: Puff pastry is unique because it consists of hundreds of layers of dough and fat (like butter) produced by a simple fold-and-roll technique. This process results in a light and flaky texture, ideal for the cheese straws. If you are a pastry aficionado, you can make puff pastry from scratch. But I use store-bought frozen puff pastry sheets, like Pepperidge Farm, for a quicker option.
- Seasoning: All you need is cheese, but I wanted to add an extra punch of flavor. I use a combination of sweet paprika for more profound color formation on the surface, plus dried Italian seasonings, salt, and pepper.
- Cheese: I use aged-grated parmesan cheese for its pleasant, nutty taste.
- Egg Wash: A mixture of water brushed onto the surface of the pastry makes the straws more golden in hue and glossy.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This puff pastry straw recipe is easy to customize! Try these tasty options:
- Puff Pastry Options: Use all butter puff pastry or gluten-free puff pastry.
- Seasoning Swaps: If you have fresh herbs, chop them up instead. Onion or garlic powder are also lovely additions for earthier notes.
- Cheese Substitutions: Try asiago, pecorino romano, gouda, cheddar, or gruyere.
- Make it spicy: Add cayenne pepper, chili powder, Aleppo pepper, red pepper flakes, or chipotle to the seasoning mix.
How to Make Puff Pastry Cheese Straws
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Position your oven rack in the center for even baking and preheat to 375ºF (190ºC). This ensures the puff pastry gets a consistent rise and crispness. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, preventing sticking and making cleanup a breeze.
Step 2: Defrost the Puff Pastry
You can defrost the product overnight in the refrigerator or kitchen counter for about 40 minutes. The goal is to have a cool, firm, and pliable consistency.
Ingredient Chemistry: Work with chilled dough so the fat doesn’t melt, causing the layers to fuse and become dense. The puff pastry sheet doesn’t look extraordinary, but you don’t see the hundreds of layers underneath. The steam in the dough will leave the pastry and create visible, separate, paper-thin sheets when it bakes, yielding a delicate and flaky texture.
Step 3: Make the Seasoning Mix
Mix the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. This simple blend will add a flavorful, savory kick to your cheese straws.
Step 4: Roll Out the Puff Pastry
Roll your 9 x 9-inch puff pastry sheets into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle. If needed, dust with a bit of flour to prevent sticking. Aim for about ⅛-inch thickness, regardless of the type of pastry you use. This ensures the dough doesn’t get too thick or puff up too much during baking, giving you the perfect balance of seasoning and pastry for the best flavor.
Step 5: Add Egg Wash
Brush on egg wash to help the seasonings and cheese adhere to the pastry. It’s just a whole egg whisked with water to thin the consistency. Make sure to save some to coat the twisted dough right before baking. It will help deepen the golden brown color and brown the stick’s surface.
Step 6: Add Seasoning and Cheese
Sprinkle the spice mixture and Parmesan cheese evenly over the pastry. As the pastry bakes, the Parmesan will melt, then harden, creating a crispy, golden layer on top. This is due to the moisture evaporating and the proteins and fats in the cheese coagulating, which gives the cheese its deliciously crunchy texture.
Step 7: Press in the Toppings
The cheese won’t completely stick to the surface, so lightly press the rolling pin against the dough. It’s ok if some fall off while twisting.
Step 8: Cut into Strips
Use a chef’s knife or pizza cutter to slice the pastry into ¾-inch thick strips that are 10 inches long. Feel free to make shorter pieces or even skinnier slices. Twist each strip so that some of the cheese is exposed. Don’t forget to brush the surface with egg wash to make it golden brown and glossy.
Tips for Perfect Execution: The key to keeping the puff pastry full of tall layers is to cut the dough straight down. Do not use a sawing motion. Pressing the layers together too much will make them harder to separate. You want a light and flaky texture, not dense.
Step 9: Twist the Strips
Twist each strip and place them on the parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them at least 1 inch apart to allow for even baking and airflow. You should fit about six strips per sheet. Lightly brush the surface of each strip with egg wash to promote browning and give the pastry a glossy, golden finish.
Step 10: Bake
A high of 375 degrees kickstarts the baking process. The cheese straws rise and grow about four times their size in 15 minutes—impressive! The pastry has little moisture, so the surface will turn golden brown and crispy once the steam is released and evaporated.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Refrigerate unbaked sticks covered for up to 3 days, then bake.
- Freeze unbaked sticks for up to 1 month, then defrost them in the refrigerator or on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.
- Store baked sticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer after letting them cool completely. Reheat in a 350-degree oven until warm and crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bake until the pieces are golden brown and light in weight, which indicates that most of the moisture in the dough has evaporated. Let the cheese cool down a bit before eating, as it will harden for a crispier texture. After storing, warm it in an oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes to regain its crisp texture.
Yes! They can be frozen, unbaked after twisting, and defrosted before using. Alternatively, they can be fully baked and cooled down, then reheated. The latter is an excellent option because you can warm them later at 350 degrees until crispy for a quick appetizer.
After baking, refrigerate them because they contain dairy products that could spoil if left at room temperature. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
If you tried these Puff Pastry Cheese Straws, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Serve This With
Puff Pastry Cheese Straws
Ingredients
- 1 puff pastry sheet, defrosted if frozen
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat the Oven – Set the rack in the middle position. Heat to 375ºF (190ºC). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Defrost the Puff Pastry – Thaw the puff pastry overnight in the fridge. Alternatively, you can thaw it on the counter. Remove the frozen pastry from its packaging and defrost it on a sheet tray until it is cool but pliable, about 40 minutes.
- Make the Seasoning Mix – In a small bowl, combine the paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper and set aside.
- Roll Out the Puff Pastry – Place defrosted puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. If the pastry surface feels sticky, lightly dust it with flour. Use a rolling pin to roll out into a 12 x 10-inch rectangle or about ⅛-inch thick.
- Add Egg Wash – In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush the surface with the egg wash.
- Add Seasoning and Cheese – Sprinkle the spice mixture and parmesan cheese on top.
- Press in the Toppings – Use a rolling pin to press the toppings into the dough gently.
- Cut into Strips – Use a chef’s knife or pizza cutter to make 10-inch long strips, about ¾-inch wide. It should yield 12 strips.
- Twist the Strips – Twist each strip, then lay on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, at least 1 inch apart. There should be six per sheet. Brush the surface of each piece with egg wash.
- Bake – Bake until golden brown, puffy, and crisp, about 14 to 16 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tray. Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze, place in a large resealable bag or container for up to 1 month.
- Reheating: Heat at 350ºF (177ºC) on a baking sheet until warm and crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Cynthia Fletcher says
Do you have a video on how to make them? I’ve never worked with puff pastry and am a little confused on how to twist them while keeping the filling inside.
Jessica Gavin says
I don’t have a video yet, but a great suggestion! I’ve found that holding both ends and carefully twisting in opposite directions at the same time helps. It’s ok is a little bit of the filling falls out.
Kathy B. says
I made these as an accompaniment to homemade soup for a family gathering last weekend and they were a big hit. I left out the paprika though. The hardest part for me was “twisting” them to a nice shape but thankfully I had some help with that task! Will definitely make again.