Anna Louise Cheese straws are the party snack that disappears faster than anything else on the table. Golden, shatteringly crisp, intensely cheesy, with a slight warmth from mustard and cayenne — they are the kind of thing people pick up absent-mindedly and then suddenly realise the entire pile has gone.
Mary Berry’s cheese straws recipe uses all-butter puff pastry and the finest Cheddar you can find. They take thirty minutes from start to serving, they can be made ahead and reheated in minutes, and they are the kind of bake that seems impressive for the effort required.
Made slightly thicker and shorter, they work as a canape. Made longer and thinner, they are the most elegant cheese straw you can serve. Either way, they are one of the best things you can produce from a block of puff pastry.
What Makes Great Cheese Straws
Good cheese. The cheese is the only flavour in this recipe. A good quality extra-mature Cheddar — Montgomery’s, Keen’s, or a good supermarket extra-mature — gives an intensity and complexity that mild Cheddar or processed cheese cannot approach. Parmesan mixed with the Cheddar adds a nutty, salty depth. Use the best cheese you have.
All-butter puff pastry. The pastry in a cheese straw is as important as the cheese. All-butter puff gives a rich, flavourful base that makes the finished straw taste genuinely special. Non-butter pastry gives something thinner and less interesting.
Twisting before baking. Twisting each straw before it goes on the tray is the step that gives cheese straws their characteristic appearance and their evenly crisped texture. An untwisted cheese straw is just a cheese rectangle. A twisted one is something beautiful.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Cheese Straws
- 375g ready-made all-butter puff pastry
- 2 large egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water
- 150g extra-mature Cheddar, finely grated
- 50g Parmesan, finely grated
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Pinch of fine salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
How to Make Mary Berry Cheese Straws — Step by Step
Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Line two large baking trays with baking parchment.
Step 2 — Prepare the Cheese Mixture
Combine the finely grated Cheddar and Parmesan with the mustard powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Mix well so the spices are evenly distributed through the cheese.
Step 3 — Roll the Pastry
On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a large rectangle approximately 35x25cm and 3mm thick. Keep the pastry cold — if it becomes too warm and starts to feel greasy, return it to the fridge for ten minutes before continuing.
Step 4 — Apply the Egg Wash and Cheese
Brush the entire surface of the pastry with the beaten egg yolk mixture. Scatter the cheese mixture evenly over the entire surface, pressing it very gently into the pastry with the palm of your hand so it adheres.
Step 5 — Cut and Twist
Using a sharp knife or a pastry wheel, cut the pastry into strips approximately 1.5cm wide and 12 to 14cm long. Take each strip and twist it gently along its length — three or four twists — holding one end on the lined baking tray as you twist, then pressing the end firmly onto the parchment so it does not unravel during baking.
Space them slightly apart on the tray.
Step 6 — Chill Briefly
Refrigerate the trays for 10 minutes. Chilling firms up the pastry and helps the cheese straws hold their twisted shape in the oven.
Step 7 — Bake
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until deep golden, twisted, and completely crisp. Watch them carefully in the final two minutes — the high cheese content means they can go from perfectly golden to overdone quickly.
Transfer immediately to a wire rack. They crisp further as they cool.
My Top Tips For Mary Berry Cheese Straws
Use the finest grater you have for the cheese. Finely grated cheese adheres to the pastry better, melts more evenly during baking, and gives a more uniform, crisper finish than coarsely grated. The finest side of a box grater gives the best result.
Keep the pastry cold throughout. Warm puff pastry is greasy, difficult to cut cleanly, and loses its structure in the oven. If at any point the pastry feels warm and starts to soften, return it to the fridge for ten minutes before continuing.
Press the cheese gently into the pastry. A light press with the palm of your hand helps the cheese adhere to the egg-washed surface. Without this, the cheese falls off during twisting and baking.
Hold one end on the tray as you twist. This is the technique for a properly formed cheese straw — hold the end firmly on the parchment and twist the other end towards you. The fixed end on the tray means the twist holds its shape rather than springing back.
Chill before baking. Ten minutes in the fridge after twisting and before baking firms up the butter in the pastry and helps the cheese straws hold their shape dramatically better during baking.
Serve warm for the best experience. Fresh from the oven, cheese straws are at their absolute finest. If making ahead, reheat in a 180°C oven for five minutes to restore their crispness.
Serving Suggestions
As a party canape — pile them in a tall glass or jar on the table and watch them disappear. With drinks before a dinner party. As part of a Christmas drinks spread. Given as a gift in a long cellophane bag tied with ribbon — one of the most appreciated and practical edible gifts.
How to Store Mary Berry Cheese Straws
At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refresh in a 180°C oven for five minutes before serving.
In the freezer: Freeze unbaked twisted straws on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 200°C for 16 to 18 minutes. This is the best approach for parties — make them weeks ahead and bake fresh on the day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use different cheeses?
Yes — Gruyère gives a wonderfully nutty, slightly sweet result. A mixture of Cheddar and Gruyère is particularly good. Stilton crumbled through the mixture gives a richer, more complex flavour. Any firm, well-flavoured cheese works.
Can I add herbs to cheese straws?
Yes — dried thyme, dried rosemary, or poppy seeds scattered over the cheese before rolling into strips give different flavour variations. Dried thyme with extra-mature Cheddar is a classic combination.
Can I make cheese straws with shortcrust pastry?
Yes — shortcrust gives a crisper, more crumbly result that is less flaky than puff but equally delicious. Roll to 3mm and bake at the same temperature.
Why are my cheese straws not crispy?
Either the pastry was too warm when it went in the oven, they were not baked for long enough, or they were stored in a container before they had fully cooled and crisped. Make sure the pastry is cold before baking and leave them to cool completely on a wire rack.
Can I make these in advance?
Yes — bake and cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to three days. The unbaked twisted straws freeze beautifully for up to three months.
Mary Berry Cheese Straws Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Line two baking trays with parchment.
- Mix Cheddar, Parmesan, mustard powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
- Roll pastry to 35x25cm, 3mm thick. Brush entire surface with egg yolk mixture.
- Scatter cheese mixture evenly over pastry. Press gently with palm of hand.
- Cut into 1.5cm wide, 12–14cm long strips. Hold one end of each strip on the tray — twist the other end 3–4 times. Press both ends firmly onto parchment.
- Refrigerate 10 minutes.
- Bake 12–15 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Transfer immediately to wire rack. Serve warm.
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