Cheese Twists are a great choice for your next get-together. Flaky, cheesy, crispy and easy to make ahead as an appetizer. And very popular!
Cheese Twists – also called Cheese Straws – are a go-to for us during holidays. Melt-in-your-mouth bites that satisfy those carb cravings. They are not new, but they are certainly popular with guests. We like to add a bit of mustard powder and herbs to boost the flavor. They can be baked weeks ahead and warmed in the oven for a few minutes which makes them an easy party appetizer. Feel free to use your favorite cheese or combination of cheeses.
This recipe uses frozen packaged puff pastry which, in our opinion, is a little miracle because it is so *!##!** convenient. Especially when you buy it in two pre-rolled sheets of dough. I mean you don’t even have to roll the dough! About 30 minutes start to finish. Easy, quick, good, pretty. Hard to beat.
You might also want to check out more easy make-ahead appetizers.
Shortcut
- Buy pre-shredded cheese
Make Ahead Cheese Twists
- Cool the cheese twists completely, then store in a sealed container or ziploc bag. May be frozen and reheated at 350F for a 5-6 minutes.
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- Cheese Twist ingredients
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- one sheet puff pastry dough
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- brush with eggwash mustard mixture and sprinkle cheese
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- cut each pastry sheet into strips
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- cheese twists (from one puff pastry sheet) ready for baking
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- Cheese twist beauties
Cheese Twists
Ingredients
- 1 package store-bought puff pastry dough (2 sheets)
- 1 egg plus 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 tsp dried mustard powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cup finely grated cheese (gruyere, Parmesan, cheddar or any combination)
- 1/2 tsp thyme or rosemary (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat over to 375F
- PREPARE CHEESE TWISTS: Unroll the two sheets of puff pastry dough onto a lightly floured cutting board or parchment paper. Each sheet should be about 10 x 12 inches (stretch a bit if needed). In a small bowl, mix together water, egg, salt and mustard powder mustard. Lightly brush this egg wash on the puff pastry sheets. Sprinkle on the cheese and thyme (if using) evenly. Press down gently with the heel of your hand (or a rolling pin) to make the cheese stick to the dough. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut first sheet into about 12 strips. Also cut the strips in half if you want shorter twists and twice as many. Repeat with 2nd sheet of dough.
- BAKE: Cover two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Twist each strip into a corkscrew and lay it on the pan. Repeat until all strips have been twisted. Leave a little space (about 1/2 inch) between each twist as they will expand a bit. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese twists are golden brown. Turn half way through for more even browning.
Notes
Adapted from an Ina Garten Cheese Straw recipe.
Here are a few other puff pastry recipes you might like:
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