Cheese Straw Cookies (Cheese Happies)
Do you love the taste of homemade southern style cheese straws but hate all the fussiness involved with making them?
Whether you’re slicing and baking for perfectly round wafers or using a cookie press or pastry bag for dainty, thin straws, there’s certainly a degree of difficulty involved when making cheese straws.
Sure, they’re a classic when it comes to bridal and baby showers. And I’d bet you’d be hard pressed to find an afternoon wedding in the South that didn’t present some form of cheese straws on the menu. But, dang they can be a pain to make.
I absolutely love the Pimento Cheese Crisps in my cookbook made with that slice and bake method, but they take some serious time and a little finesse. So, we set out to share a recipe that gives you all the great flavor of traditional cheese straws, but with a fraction of the work.
This method starts with a pretty classic cheese straw dough – much like the one in my book. But this dough is simply scooped out with a cookie scoop. Once baked, the result is a perfectly crisp cheese wafer cookie with that distinct toasted cheese flavor. (Is there anything more delicious than nearly burnt cheese? I think not.)
You can even give these babies a little pizzazz but using the tines of a fork to gently press into the top of each dough ball giving you a little design and texture. If you find the fork starts sticking to the dough, just dip it in a little water or flour to help.
When we were working on this recipe, Heather kept calling them “Cheese Happies.” I just love that name and it kinda stuck! Each little cookie IS a little bite of happiness, so it’s the perfect nickname. And while “cheese happies” won’t show up in search results when you’re looking for the recipe, I did add it to the title because I just couldn’t resist.
Regardless of what you name them, I guarantee you’re going to call them delicious!
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 (8-ounce) block sharp cheddar cheese
- ▢ 3/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
- ▢ 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne powder (use more or less to taste)
- ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- ▢ Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Use a box grater to shred the cheese.
- ▢ Use a mixer to blend the cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the salt, garlic powder, and cayenne and mix to combine. Gradually add the flour and mix well.
- ▢ Use a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough out and place it about 2-inches apart on the prepared pan. If desired, use a fork to gently press the tines into the top of each cookie. Dipping the fork in water will help if the dough sticks.
- ▢ Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Bake shorter for a crispy exterior and chewy interior. Bake longer for crispy throughout. Cool for about 10 minutes on the baking sheet before moving to a cooling rack. Work in batches until all the dough has been cooked. Store on the counter in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
If your butter is too cold, you might end up with a dough that is a little dry or crumbly. A few teaspoons of water or milk (added one-at-a-time while mixing) should give you a dough that is more scoopable.
