Cheese biscuits or cheese straws is a southern favorite around the holidays. Funny enough, we call them biscuits, but they’re not biscuits in the traditional southern sense (i.e. they’re not fluffy). Instead, they’re more like British biscuits; like a savory cookie, crumbly and buttery. Cheese straws and cheese biscuits are the same exact thing, but they’re shaped differently. My grandmother (my Mamaw) makes hers into cheese biscuits, while Brad’s grandmother shapes hers into straws.
If you’ve never had these, I would describe their flavor as being similar to a cheese cracker, but they’re softer and more buttery. Maybe because they’re made with copious amounts of butter.
Let me forewarn you, you’re going to be a bit taken back by the amount of butter in this recipe, but rest assured, this recipe makes a lot — enough to hand out as a homemade Christmas gift to a lot of people. They’re incredibly simple to make and so yummy. While we usually snack on these by the handful, I’ve also enjoyed them crumbled up over tomato soup. If you like crackers, croutons, or cheese as a soup garnish, you’re sure to love these.
And while you can spend all day grating an entire pound of cheese to make these, you can also buy Kraft® Shredded Cheese to make your life a whole lot easier. Right now, I’m all about making my life easier. Aren’t we all?
Cheddar Cheese Biscuits
A cheesy buttery appetizer, just perfect for entertaining during the holiday season.
1 pound Kraft® Shredded Sharp (or Extra Sharp) Cheddar Cheese
1 pound butter (4 sticks), softened
1 pound all purpose flour (4 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
non-stick spray
Add all ingredients to a large bowl. Mix well by hand to combine. Pinch off a ball of dough and roll in your hands to create a ball about 1 inch wide. Flatten ball in your hand, and then place on a greased baking sheet. Press the top of the biscuit with a fork. Repeat with the rest of the dough, placing dough about 1/2 inch apart. Bake on 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly before transferring.
NOTE: If uncooked dough becomes too dry or crumbly, wet your hands before rolling them into balls. Continue to wet your hands as needed until you have used up the entire dough.
To save on Kraft® products, which includes a lot more than just cheese, head over to the Target website for up to $20 in savings with coupons. These Kraft® coupons can be redeemed exclusively at Target.
From shopping for gifts to planning family dinners, it’s hard to keep up with all your holiday to-do’s. This year, Kraft is helping out with great weeknight meals and entertaining ideas to make the season a little bit easier. Plus, Kraft is offering up to $20 in coupons, redeemable exclusively at Target, to make food shopping easier and to help you have a happy holiday season.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kraft. The opinions and text are all mine.