Cheese Straw Wafers

I made these dainty little cheese straw wafers for the granddaughters' tea party birthday party a few weeks ago. Instead of a traditional cheese straw which is extremely delicate to handle, I used the cookie press to make, easier for little girls to handle, "wafers."

1 stick butter, softened

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. ground cayenne pepper

1 1/2 - 2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, blend the first four ingredients together until well combined, about 5 minutes.

Add flour, a few tablespoons at a time, until dough comes together and holds its shape.  

At this point you can either put dough into a pastry bag with a star tip and squeeze out into long ribbons, cutting each about 2 inches long OR you can put a disc into a cookie press and press out little wafer like I did above.

Bake 13 - 15 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers with a sheet of waxed paper in between layers.

Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, beating just until combined. For a traditional cheese straw, you can use a cookie press with a star-shaped disk to shape mixture into long ribbons on parchment paper-lined baking sheets and cut ribbons into 2-inch pieces. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. - See more at: http://jewishfoodexperience.com/recipes/southern-style-savory-cheese-straws-or-wafers/#sthash.FORumpXI.dpuf

Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until blended. Gradually add flour, beating just until combined. For a traditional cheese straw, you can use a cookie press with a star-shaped disk to shape mixture into long ribbons on parchment paper-lined baking sheets and cut ribbons into 2-inch pieces. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. - See more at: http://jewishfoodexperience.com/recipes/southern-style-savory-cheese-straws-or-wafers/#sthash.FORumpXI.dpuf