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Apple Cheddar Cheese Straws

by:
September 21, 2021
3.5
6 Ratings
Photo by Carolina Gelen
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 4 to 6
Author Notes

Sweet apple butter and sharp cheddar, twisted up in a flaky pastry—does it get any better than that? These crispy cheese straws will become a fall staple in your house. The recipe comes together in no time, thanks to store-bought puff pastry and apple butter. (Though if you want to make your own apple butter, more power to you. Here’s a great recipe.) I can’t describe how wonderful your kitchen will smell while baking these. The sweetness of the fruit dreamily balances the sharpness of the cheddar. If you want to use only one type of cheddar, go for it. And if you’re looking for some substitutes, I highly recommend Gouda, too. —Carolina Gelen

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Ingredients
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons apple butter, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (about 8 ounces), thawed
  • 4 ounces sharp yellow cheddar cheese, grated (about ⅔ cup)
  • 3 ounces sharp white cheddar, grated (about ½ cup)
  • Flaky salt
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2 sheet pans with parchment.
  2. Beat the egg with 2 teaspoons of apple butter and the salt.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry to ¼ inch (about ½ centimeter) thick, if necessary. Evenly spread the ½ cup of apple butter on the pastry, then evenly top with the grated cheese. Fold the pastry in half (starting at the short end if your pastry is a rectangle). Gently press it down to seal the layers. Brush both sides of the folded puff pastry with the egg wash. Position the rectangle so that one of the short ends is facing you. Cut crosswise into 12 sticks. Twist each one and evenly divide between the lined sheet pans. Sprinkle them with flaky salt.
  4. Bake until deeply golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving—these are great warm or at room temperature.
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Carolina is a resident at Food52. She's also one of the hosts of Choose Your Own Recipe Adventure, our YouTube show where our Food52 readers pick the ingredients and techniques for a brand new recipe. Carolina recently immigrated to the U.S. from Transylvania, a place she spent most of her life. She continues to get inspired by the classic Romanian and Hungarian foods she was raised on, creating approachable, colorful, and fun recipes. For more cooking ideas and candid moments, check out her Instagram @carolinagelen.

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5 Reviews

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Hever79 March 11, 2023
I was really hopefull for these but should have read the other reviews first. Cheese oozed out and burnt. Going to try remaking with cheese incorporated into the dough
J. January 1, 2022
Like everyone else, the cheese melted out and made more of a mess than anything else. These taste mostly like puff pastry twists in the end. If I were to make them again (which I won’t!) I would fold the puff pastry in half over the cheese, then I half again, then re-roll it to try to incorporate the cheese. Then just fold the apple butter in it? Still don’t know if that would work though.
Devan December 19, 2021
I second the other reviewers. Put your cheese just on one one half of the dough then fold over. I don’t know why it would be written any other way. I used quite a lot less then called for. Press down firmly, apply one side of the egg wash and refrigerate. It really helps hold it together. Before baking I sprinkled kosher salt over each twist to give a good texture and saltiness.
starryidash November 25, 2021
Oof. Was so excited to try this, but a bit of a mess to be honest.

A few notes:
- Take Penelope's advice below and only put cheese on one side before folding.
- Put in the fridge between applications of egg wash to "dry" before you turn it over to egg wash the other side (your dough is going to be quite soggy and hard to handle after applying egg wash, plus the butter in your dough is super soft by this point.)
- The recipe says to cut against the short side, but that nets you about 6 LONG sticks. Cut against your long side to get to 12 short sticks.
- Like Penelope said, all the cheese comes out in the oven. Did not see an obvious fix for that, unfortunately.
Penelope October 24, 2021
I would recommend using half the cheese and only spread it on half of the pastry. I followed the recipe as directed and when I folded the pastry over, the cheese was unevenly distributed and became difficult to handle. When the cheese twists cooked most of the cheese oozed out and burned.