Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws
Published on December 07, 2021
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If you are looking for an EASY appetizer for the holidays, a family potluck, or any special occasion, I have the perfect recipe for you, Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws.
This is a no-fuss, no-stress recipe, which makes it perfect for serving at parties. The cheesy twists are easy to make, you only need 4 ingredients, and they are impressive to serve!
Cheese straws are made with puff pastry, I use store-bought puff pastry to keep things easy and I think the frozen puff pastry sheets are really good quality.
To make the straws, you cut the pastry into strips and twist them into “straws.” Puff pastry is made of hundreds and hundreds of thin layers of dough and butter. Yeah, it’s the GOOD stuff. When it gets hot in the oven, the layers puff up and become crispy. It’s basically magic!
The straws are crispy, flaky, and so flavorful! And these are double special because they have basil pesto and Parmesan cheese! The combo is amazing!
Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straw Ingredients
You only need 4 simple ingredients!
- Puff pastry– you can find puff pastry in the freezer section. You will need 2 sheets, which is one box. I use Pepperidge Farm brand. Make sure you read the directions on the box for thawing.
- Pesto– you can use homemade basil pesto or store bought to keep it super easy! We like Private Selection’s basil pesto because it tastes so fresh!
- Parmesan cheese-the straws have Parmesan cheese on the inside and outside. They are double special! We like Murray’s Parmesan cheese, you can find it at the cheese counter at Kroger.
- Egg– brush an egg wash on the straws before they go in the oven so they get nice and golden brown.
How to Make Cheese Straws
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Unfold the pastry sheets onto a large sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Cut each sheet into 4 equal sized long rectangles. You should now have 8 pieces.
- Spread the pesto evenly onto 4 of the rectangles. Sprinkle the ⅓ cup of Parmesan cheese evenly over the pesto.
- Place the remaining 4 rectangles directly on top of the pesto parmesan rectangles. Gently press down on the edges.
- Cut each of the pieces of pastry into 4 long strips to make 16 long strips.
- Twist the strips and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together with a fork. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the pastry straws with the egg wash. Sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. You can rotate the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets.
How to Serve and Store
You can serve the cheese straws warm or at room temperature. Put them a platter or you can put them in a pretty jar or cup and serve them standing up! They are such a fun appetizer!
You can also serve them with a bowl of soup, my boys love dipping them into minestrone soup, tomato basil soup, and stuffed pepper soup. They are also great with a salad or any meal!
You can bake the straws ahead of time, but they really are best served within an hour or two of coming out of the oven. You can’t beat a fresh cheese straw!
If you do have leftovers, store them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
You can also freeze them in a freezer bag or freezer container for up to 1 month.
More Appetizer Recipes
Pesto Parmesan Cheese Straws
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Unfold the pastry sheets onto a large sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Cut each sheet into 4 equal sized long rectangles. You should now have 8 pieces.
- Spread the pesto evenly onto 4 of the rectangles. Sprinkle the ⅓ cup of Parmesan cheese evenly over the pesto.
- Place the remaining 4 rectangles directly on top of the pesto parmesan rectangles. Gently press down on the edges.
- Cut each of the pieces of pastry into 4 long strips to make 16 long strips.
- Twist the strips and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg and water together with a fork. Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the pastry straws with the egg wash. Sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmesan cheese.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. You can rotate the pans halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets.
- Place the straws on a platter and garnish with extra parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve!