There are few things more satisfying than pulling a tray of golden brown Lithuanian Cheese Straws out of the oven. Crisp, buttery, deeply savory, and topped with fragrant caraway seeds, these cheese straws with caraway seeds are one of those quietly iconic Lithuanian snacks that show up everywhere — from casual kitchen tables to summer gatherings. They may look simple, but they carry serious nostalgia.
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Popular Lithuanian Snack
In Lithuania, these cheese straws are often served alongside a cold beer, making them a classic Lithuanian snack in pubs and at casual gatherings. You’ll find them on small plates next to bowls of Yellow Split Peas with Bacon or Lithuanian Fried Bread with Garlic — three humble but wildly popular beer companions.
That said, they’re not reserved for beer lovers. We make them for road trips, pack them into lunch boxes, bring them to summer BBQs, and set them out as an easy appetizer when guests drop by unexpectedly. They disappear just as quickly in an office break room as they do at a family party.
They’re crisp, salty, buttery, and incredibly moreish. The kind of snack where you think, “Just one more,” and then suddenly the tray is empty.
Ingredient Notes
These cheese straws rely on just a handful of ingredients, so each one matters.
- All-Purpose Flour. Plain flour works perfectly. No need for anything fancy.
- Unsalted Butter. Use cold butter, straight from the fridge. Keeping it cold is key to tender, flaky pastry.
- Cheddar Cheese. Sharp cheddar cheese gives the best flavor. You can use mild, but a stronger cheese makes a noticeable difference. When we make them in Lithuania, we use DVARO fermentinis suris.
- Sour Cream. Adds richness and tenderness. It also helps bind the dough without overworking it.
- Egg (for egg wash). Brushing the dough with egg wash helps the straws turn beautifully golden brown and gives the caraway seeds something to stick to. You may use egg yolks mixed with a little water to milk for a deeper golden brown colour on top.
- Caraway Seeds. Crush them lightly to release their aroma. Caraway is deeply traditional in Lithuanian cooking and pairs beautifully with cheese.
- Salt. A light sprinkle of coarse salt on top enhances flavor.
Variations
This is a forgiving recipe that adapts easily:
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or black pepper for gentle heat.
- Sprinkle with poppy seeds instead of caraway seeds. Or use sesame seeds or even a mix of seeds for texture.
- Roll slightly thicker for softer cheese sticks, thinner for extra crispness.
- Cut into twists instead of straight sticks, or use a cookie cutter for party shapes.
These aren’t puff pastry cheese straws — they’re sturdier, more rustic, and more deeply flavored, so you can experiment to your heart's content.
Step-By-Step Method
1. Preheat the oven. Preheat to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Chop butter into flour. Place the flour on a large cutting surface. Scatter cold cubed butter over it. Using a long knife, chop and slice through the mixture in different directions until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Pro tip: Work quickly so the butter stays cold.
3. Add cheese and sour cream. Spread grated cheddar cheese over the mixture and add sour cream in small spoonfuls. Continue chopping until the dough begins to come together.
Pro tip: If too dry, add sour cream one teaspoon at a time.
4. Form and chill. Gather into a ball, flatten into a rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes. Flattening into the right shape at this stage will make rolling out easier later.
5. Roll and cut. Roll to about ⅕ inch (5 mm) thick. Cut into strips approximately ⅓ inch wide and 3 inches long.
6. Brush and top. Brush the surface with egg wash. Sprinkle crushed caraway seeds and a light pinch of salt across the entire surface before separating the sticks — it’s much quicker.
7. Bake. Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake for 13–15 minutes until golden brown.
Pro tip: Let them cool slightly on the baking sheet. They firm up as they cool.
If making a second batch, ensure the dough stays chilled while the first batch bakes.
The Traditional Lithuanian Pastry Method
What makes this recipe particularly Lithuanian is the technique.
Instead of rubbing butter into flour with your fingertips or using a pastry cutter or food processor, we chop everything together with a knife. It may look unusual, but it serves a purpose.
By avoiding warm hands, the butter stays cold. That means the pastry stays tender and crisp. The whole process is quick, efficient, and surprisingly satisfying. There’s something rhythmic about chopping through flour and butter until it becomes pastry. We also use this method in the Farmer's Cheese Cookies recipe.
If you prefer, you can use a food processor. Pulse the flour and butter until crumbly, then add cheese and sour cream and pulse just until combined. But the traditional knife method feels wonderfully old-school — the kind of thing you’d see in family recipes passed down through generations.
Storage
Once completely cooled, store the cheese straws in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
They can be frozen either baked or unbaked:
- Unbaked: Freeze cut sticks on a baking sheet, then transfer to an airtight container. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to baking time.
- Baked: Freeze in a single layer. Reheat briefly in the oven to restore crispness.
More Lithuanian Snack Recipes
If you enjoy these Lithuanian Cheese Straws, you’ll love the other savory Lithuanian snack recipes I’ll link below — perfect for sharing with friends, serving with cold beer (or Gira), or simply enjoying on their own.
Lithuanian Cheese Straws With Caraway Seeds (Popular Snack)
Ingredients
- 200 g (1⅔ cups) all-purpose flour
- 100 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 100 g (1 cup) Cheddar cheese, finely grated
- 60–70 g (¼ cup) sour cream
- 1 small egg lightly beaten (for brushing)
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds lightly crushed
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the flour on a large cutting board or clean work surface (something you can safely cut on with a sharp knife). Scatter the cold, cubed butter over the flour.
- Using a long-bladed knife, chop and slice through the butter and flour in different directions until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. This traditional Lithuanian technique replaces rubbing the butter in by hand and keeps the pastry tender.
- Spread the grated cheese over the flour mixture. Add the sour cream in small spoonfuls across the surface. Using the same knife, continue chopping and slicing until the dough begins to come together.
- If the mixture feels too dry, add a little more sour cream, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Gather the mixture into a ball and knead gently just until it holds together. Flatten into a rough rectangle, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Lightly crush the caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle, or roughly chop them with a knife to release more flavor.
- Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle about 5 mm (⅕ inch) thick (ours measured 7cm (3in) wide and 30 cm (12in) long).
- Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into strips approximately ⅓ inch (1 cm) wide and about 3 inches long - we tycally end up with 30 sticks.
- Without moving anthing, brush the surface wit hwith the beaten egg. Sprinkle with crushed caraway seeds and a light pinch of salt - it's quicker than topping them individually.
- Place the sticks on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a little space between them.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 13–15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Allow the cheese straws to cool slightly on the baking sheet. They will firm up as they cool.
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