Our Best Cheese Straws, Bites, and Crackers
For a chic appetizer alternative, try cheese straws. We've got flavors ranging from olive-blue cheese to bacon-smoked paprika.
Basic Cheese Straw Dough
Basic Cheese Straw Dough Recipe
Start with this Basic Cheese Straw Dough then and let your imagination run wild with shapes and flavors.
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Parmesan-Basil-Cheddar Stars
Parmesan-Basil-Cheddar Stars Recipe
Give cheddar cheese straws a facelift with these sweet, star-shaped "straws" that combine the savory Mediterranean flavors of parmesan and basil.
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Pecan-Rosemary-Cheddar Buttons
Pecan-Rosemary-Cheddar Buttons Recipe
Nutty pecans and earthy rosemary combine to create a robust riff on the average cheddar cheese straw.
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Olive-Blue Moons
These cheddar crescents pack a salty punch from the Spanish olives but have a cooling finish from blue cheese.
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Pimento Cheese Squares
A Southern staple, pimento cheese makes its debut in cheese straw, or rather, cheese square form. Serve them as an appetizer at your next Southern-inspired soiree.
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Bacon-Smoked Paprika-Cheddar Bars
Bacon-Smoked Paprika-Cheddar Bars Recipe
Sharp cheddar cheese gets a warming welcome from the smokey flavors of bacon and paprika.
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Lemon-and-Black-Pepper Cheese Straws
Lemon-and-Black-Pepper Cheese Straws Recipe
Cheese straws have never been easier. Add parmesan cheese, lemon zest, and black pepper to frozen puff pastery for an instant elegant take on cheese straws.
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Cheddar-and-Black Sesame Cheese Straws
Cheddar-and-Black Sesame Cheese Straws Recipe
Black sesame seeds give these cheddar cheese staws a bold look, while Dijan mustard gives them a bold taste.
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Spicy Cheddar "Long" Straws
Spicy Cheddar "Long" Straws Recipe
These spicy straws will are an elegant addition to an appetizer table. Serve them in silver cups or on silver trays.
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Blue Cheese and Chive Straws
Blue Cheese and Chive Straws Recipe
At only 47 calories per straw, these Blue Cheese and Chive Staws are an easy and slimming appetizer. Make up to two days ahead, and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
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Prosciutto-and-Manchego Cheese Straws
Prosciutto-and-Manchego Cheese Straws Recipe
It’s not a party without cheese straws, and we made these extra special for the occasion with additions such as nutty Manchego cheese and salty prosciutto.
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Cheddar Cheese Straws
Savory and rich with just a bit of a peppery bite, cheese straws are great party snacks. They're especially easy to make and travel well.
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Jalapeño Cheese Straws
We know: You've got a cheese straw recipe you can make with your eyes closed. But give this subtly spicy recipe (that impressed our Test Kitchen staff!) a try.
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Pimiento Cheese Crackers
Pimiento Cheese Crackers Recipe
Here is the approximate way my thinking went when I was dreaming up these crackers:
I have delicious pimiento cheese. I should eat that.
It will be best upon a cracker.
What type of cracker would be the superior vehicle for the cheese?
Sweet Fancy Moses, what if the cheese WERE THE CRACKER?????
(Duuuuuuude.)
After all, in my forays into cracker-making I had discovered that many crackers are just fat and flour and seasonings. And I had made cheese crackers which were just fat and flour and seasonings and cheese. Well, pimiento cheese is cheese and fat and seasonings, so what would happen if I just added flour and baked it?
Magic, people, this is what happens, pure alchemical wizardry.
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Cheddar Cheese Snack Crackers
Cheddar Cheese Snack Crackers Recipe
Skip the store-bought version and create your own cheesy snack crackers for afternoon snacking.