Crispy, crunchy, gloriously cheesy – these lovely, very loaded jalapeno popper inspired puff pastry cheese straws (or twists) are a SUPER easy appetizer, guaranteed to impress. Just layer pickled jalapenos, bacon and three types of cheese (!) onto puff pastry, slice, twist and bake.
Cheese straws are a standard – and very popular – party appetizer option for good reason. They’re incredibly quick and easy to make, look impressive and (of course) taste delicious. But if you’re looking for a slightly different twist on the classic version, these spicy, ultra cheesy and very loaded ones might be up your alley.
The flavors here are seriously gorgeous and work beautifully together. But the beauty of this recipe is how easy it is to play around with. I’ve gone quite heavy on the jalapenos because I like the spice, but you could cut it back if you like. And because we’re going all out, I’ve gone for three different cheese options – cheddar, parmesan and Gruyere. But again, you can play around. Add mozzarella for extra stretchiness, or try crumbled feta or blue cheese for a stronger flavor.
I also have a recipe for bacon, blue cheese and sweet chili cheese straws if you’re interested in another fun version of this recipe. And if you love these jalapeno popper inspired flavors, you’ll love these cute little jalapeno popper taco cups and jalapeno popper bread dipping oil too.
Ingredients
- Pickled jalapenos. I LOVE the briny, sharp flavor pickled jalapenos bring and they’re available all year round. You can use fresh jalapenos if you prefer – you’ll need about four.
- Cheese. Because I’m a cheese fiend, I’m using three different types of cheese here – sharp cheddar, Gruyere and parmesan. You can play with your cheese, based on what you like and what you have. Mozzarella is a great choice too.
- Bacon. I prefer to add the bacon uncooked to the straws because it’s quicker and I find that it stays in place better than cooked, crispy bacon, but you can cook it first if you’d prefer.
- Puff pastry. Use ready-rolled puff pastry for ease, and try to find all-butter puff pastry, rather than pastry made with vegetable oil, for the best flavor.
How to make them
Roll out your puff pastry, then spread cream cheese all over to help the toppings stick to the pastry. Scatter the pickled jalapenos, bacon and cheese on one half of the pastry. Fold the other half on top, then slice into thin strips. Twist into straws, then brush with egg and top with even more cheese.
Bake until golden, glorious and crispy. Serve with garlic aioli for dipping if you’d like!
Got a question?
They definitely have a bit of a kick to them! You can reduce the quantity of pickled jalapenos if you like – this is a great recipe to adapt to your particular taste.
You can! Once baked, they’ll keep for a couple of days, stored in a covered container in the fridge. And you can prepare the twists right up until baking, then cover them and store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Then just bake them when you’re ready to serve.
Watch how to make them
Like this recipe? Try these easy appetizers next
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear from you! You can leave a recipe rating and a comment below. And remember to tag @DishedByKate on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok if you’ve made one of my recipes. Seeing your recreations really makes my day 😊.
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Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Puff Pastry Straws (Twists)
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 straws 1x
Description
Crispy, crunchy, gloriously cheesy – these lovely, very loaded jalapeno popper inspired puff pastry cheese straws (or twists) are a SUPER easy appetizer, guaranteed to impress. Just layer pickled jalapenos, bacon and three types of cheese (!) onto puff pastry, slice, twist and bake.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry
- 1/4 cup cream cheese
- 1/2 cup pickled jalapenos, finely chopped
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated and divided
- 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, grated and divided
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated and divided
- 1 egg, whisked
Instructions
- Prepare the pastry. Heat your oven to 400F/200C fanbake and line a large oven tray with parchment paper. Roll your puff pastry sheet out (keep it on the parchment paper it usually comes wrapped in). I like to use a rolling pin to roll out the pastry a tiny bit further – just an inch or so. This gives you more space to work with, but it’s an optional step.
- Top the pastry. Spread the cream cheese evenly all over the pastry (this will help keep the other toppings in place). Scatter the top half of the pastry with the chopped pickled jalapenos and chopped bacon, evenly dispersing them right to the edges. Scatter half the cheddar cheese, Gruyere and parmesan on top of the pickled jalapenos and bacon.
- Slice the straws. Fold the other half (the bare half) on top of the topped section of the pastry. Gently press down on the pastry to seal it in place. On the folded edge, mark indents across the pastry, roughly 2cm (or 3/4″) wide. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to slice through the pastry and make strips, using the indents to guide you.
- Twist the straws. Carefully pick up a pastry strip and twist it around a couple of times, to form a twisted straw. Place on the prepared lined oven tray and continue with the rest of the pastry strips. PRO TIP: The filling may fall out a little as you’re doing this but you can just tuck anything back in as you go.
- Top the straws with cheese. Brush the pastry straws with the whisked egg, then scatter the remaining cheese all over the straws. The goal here is to create super crispy cheesy edges, so don’t worry if it looks like there’s a lot of cheese!
- Bake the straws. Transfer the tray to the oven, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, checking halfway and rotating the tray if needed, to ensure even cooking. You want the straws to look deeply golden and crispy. Once ready, remove the trays from the oven and let them sit on the trays for about five minutes, to continue to crisp up. Transfer to a serving platter, and serve with garlic aioli on the side if you like.
Notes
PREP AHEAD: They’ll keep well, for 3 to 4 days, stored in a container in the fridge. They are best the day they’re made though, so if you’re entertaining and want to get ahead, I recommend prepping the straws right up until the baking step, then cover them and store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Then you can bake then when you’re ready to serve.
INGREDIENT NOTES: I like to use ready-rolled puff pastry, ideally made with butter and not vegetable oil for the best flavor. This makes life easier than having to roll out a block, but you can use a block if that’s all you can find. I prefer to add the bacon raw as I find it stays inside the pastry a little better when you’re twisting them, but you can cook the bacon first if you like.
SUBSTITUTIONS: Swap pickled jalapenos for fresh jalapenos if you like – you’ll need about four. Play around with the cheese you use – you could just use cheddar, or throw in some mozzarella too, or even feta or blue cheese. Skip the bacon for a vegetarian version.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: appetizers
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 straw
- Calories: 353
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 399.5mg
- Fat: 27.2g
- Saturated Fat: 9.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 15.4g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Protein: 11.6g
- Cholesterol: 60.7mg
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