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The appetizer, French classic

Cheese straws

Cheese straws are strips of puff pastry topped with melted gruyère and a touch of paprika, serving 6 as a starter for drinks. They take 20 minutes of active work, bake in the morning so they're ready to reheat just before guests arrive, are very easy to make, and cost about €0.70 per person. The key is rolling the pastry gently and watching the oven closely.

Long puff pastry straws topped with melted gruyère and a dusting of paprika, crisp all the way through, perfect to grab standing up with a drink in hand.

Cheese straws
For
6 people
Work
20 min
Total time
45 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€0.70
Calories per person
140 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

These are long, golden puff pastry straws, crisp from end to end, topped with melted gruyère and a dusting of paprika that adds a little color and bite. You pick them up standing, drink in hand, and they tend to vanish fast since they're so easy to grab without needing a plate.

This is the kind of appetizer that fits any occasion, a casual dinner with friends, a Sunday family lunch, or a holiday gathering full of small bites. It pairs just as well with a glass of white wine as with juice for the kids, and works any time of year with no seasonal limits.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 4 steps, 12 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 1 step, 3 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step

In the morning, roll out the pastry, top it, cut the strips, and bake them once, then let them cool on a rack. Just before guests arrive, a quick 3 minute pass in the oven brings back all their crispness. At serving time, stand them up in glasses or lay them on a platter, ready to grab.

The ingredients

6 people

Dairy

  • Puff pastry sheet 2
  • Shredded gruyère 150 g
  • Egg yolk 1

Pantry

  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Lactose, Eggs

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Unroll the pastry sheets onto parchment paper and brush them with egg yolk beaten with a spoonful of water.

    Brush gently with a pastry brush, dabbing rather than dragging, and avoid letting it drip over the edges.

  2. Sprinkle with gruyère, paprika, and a little pepper, then press down lightly with your hand.

    Press gently so the cheese sticks and doesn't fall off when you cut the strips.

  3. Cut strips about 1.5 cm wide with a large knife or a pastry wheel, then twist each one slightly.

    Give each strip two twists, they'll hold their shape as they bake.

  4. Bake at 200°C until golden brown, then let cool on a wire rack. 12 min

    Check after 10 minutes, the cheese can go from golden to burnt quickly.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Pop the straws back in the oven for 3 minutes at 180°C right before guests arrive. 3 min

    They'll come out crisp again, just like fresh from the oven.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Stand them up in glasses or arrange them on a platter.

    Standing in a glass, they hold upright and look like little bouquets.

Our tips to get it right

  • Use an all-butter puff pastry if you can find one, it puffs up better and lets the gruyère flavor come through more.
  • Cut the strips evenly with a pizza wheel rather than a knife, which can drag the dough and make the cuts uneven.
  • Leave space between the straws on the baking sheet, if they touch while baking the melted cheese will stick them together.

The variations

  • Swap the gruyère for comté or emmental, you'll still get that melty texture with a slightly milder flavor.
  • For a spicier version, add a pinch of Espelette pepper along with the paprika.
  • For kids, skip the pepper and paprika on part of the tray, the cheese alone is enough to win them over.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dry white wine
  • Other savory appetizer bites
  • Cherry tomatoes or olives alongside

Storage

Baked cheese straws keep for 2 days in an airtight container at room temperature, they lose a bit of crispness but a quick reheat in the oven brings them back. The unbaked topped pastry doesn't freeze well, it's best baked the same day.

Questions about this recipe

Can you make cheese straws with homemade puff pastry?

Yes, homemade puff pastry works great and gives even more rise to the layers. Just make sure it's well chilled before topping and cutting it.

How do you keep the cheese from falling off when cutting?

Press the gruyère lightly with your hand after sprinkling it on, before cutting the strips. This helps the cheese stick to the dough and stay in place during baking.

Do the straws need to be twisted?

No, you can leave them straight and they'll still be just as crisp. Twisting mainly gives them a nice shape that stands upright in a glass.

What cheese works if you don't have gruyère?

Comté, emmental, or a mix of both work just as well and melt the same way. Avoid very soft cheeses, they can release liquid during baking.

Can cheese straws be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 20 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 4 steps, before the guests arrive, 1 step, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make cheese straws?

Allow 45 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 20 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "very easy".

How many calories are in cheese straws?

About 140 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does cheese straws cost?

About €0.70 per person, that's €4.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose, eggs. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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