The Cheesy Snack You Likely Ate In The South As A Kid

If you grew up in the South, you probably have fond memories of a stick-shaped cheese snack, but we aren't talking about string cheese or mozzarella sticks. Cheese straws, a savory, crunchy baked confection, are like all soul food: born from efficiency, beloved for flavor.

The exact origin of cheese straws is hard to nail down, with some claiming they originate in Europe and others saying they came about in the South in the late 1700s. Some food historians claim it may have also been a preservation method for Carolina hoop cheese, a cheap but quickly spoilable cheese. Wherever they started, Southern cooks love any recipe that makes scraps or undesirable foods delicious, and they soon developed their own recipes using leftover biscuit dough. Just like barbecue, which Southerners use as a way to make tough cuts palatable, cheese straws soon exploded in popularity, with even First Lady Dolley Madison developing her own recipe.

Today, cheese straws are easily and affordably made, but they're no longer something you only scrounge together when you have ingredients to burn. Their salty, savory flavor combined with crisp, flaky texture makes them a staple in many Southern homes and a premier addition at cocktail parties and gatherings. Factor in the ready availability of different cheeses, and they're one of the easiest homemade snacks to customize and serve.

Although cheese and dough are the two biggest components in cheese straws, you don't need exceptional versions of either. Even if you don't have a ton of skill at making dough or cash to drop on expensive cheese, you can still make a delicious snack perfect for all sorts of serving options.

For the dough, the most important rule is to fold it several times. This produces the trademark flakiness and prevents it from being dense like a biscotti, but still gives it enough structural integrity to give it a bit of snap. For the cheese, you'll want to opt for something on the sharp side, like parmesan or cheddar. Cheese straws are meant to have a bold flavoring, plus the orange of annatto in cheddar cheese gives them a great coloring. Still, just about anything that's a perfect addition to scrambled eggs should be a good choice, provided it has a strong taste.

Any Southern kid will tell you that there's nothing wrong with eating cheese straws by themselves. However, cheesy snacks add a unique bite to ice cream and other sweet treats, adding some salt and savoriness to something overwhelmingly sugary. They're also an excellent pairing with cocktails made from more subtle liquors, like vodka. Their bold flavors work especially well with acidic drinks like Moscow Mules or herbal ones like mint juleps.