Butternut squash, cheese and puff pastry are a match made in heaven and these wonderful butternut squash cheese straws are the proof. Made with puff pastry, these are easy to make, vegetarian and a great way of adding a portion of hidden veg to a savoury snack. Great for baby led weaning and toddler snacks but big kids and adults love these too.
This recipe for butternut squash cheese straws won the Readers' Recipe Swap for Kids' Parties in the Guardian and was featured again in a piece about getting kids to eat more veg.
Puff pastry is so versatile and using it to make snacks like these butternut squash cheese straws is a great way to save time.
Plus this recipe also includes a portion of veg.
These cheese straws are perfect for:
- kids parties
- lunchboxes
- baby led weaning
- after-school snacks
- picnics.
Can you make cheese straws out of puff pastry?
Yes you can make delicious cheese straws by using puff pastry. In fact puff pastry cheese straws are one of the easiest things out there to make.
Follow these simple steps you will have delicious, homemade cheese straws (full recipe for butternut cheese straws below):
- Roll out your pastry - or just unroll it if you've bought ready rolled
- Grate cheese over it
- Roll again, cut into strips, twist and bake. Hey presto - you have a delicious and oh-so moreish snack.
But what if you add a vegetable into the mix?
Are they still as easy to make? Do they still work? Are they still tasty and loved by kids?
The answer to all of these questions is yes!
Butternut squash and cheese are a match made in heaven
Butternut squash macaroni cheese is one of our regular meals these days.
In my opinion you can't beat a family meal that includes a good portion of vegetables.
So when I was thinking about which vegetable might work in a cheese straw, butternut squash seemed like the obvious choice.
And it turns out that butternut squash and puff pastry are a match made in heaven too.
Substitutes
You could use sweet potato or pumpkin instead of butternut squash
Make it vegan
Most shop bought puff pastry is dairy free and suitable for vegans. Avoid the all-butter varieties.
Use dairy free cheese to make your cheese straws vegan-friendly.
More puff pastry recipes for baby led weaning
How to make butternut squash cheese straws
The quantities are the same so if you have made these before and prefer the original method by all means do it that way.
If you have made this recipe I would love it if you’d leave a comment and rating below. Thank you!
Puff pastry cheese straws with butternut squash
Equipment
- Knife
Ingredients
- 320 g ready rolled puff pastry sheet
- 100 g butternut squash pureé*
- 100 g cheddar cheese (or dairy free alternative) grated
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C (fan)/220°C/gas mark 7.
- Unroll the sheet of puff pastry. Spread 100g puréed butternut squash evenly over the top, leaving a little space around the edges, then sprinkle two-thirds of the cheese (65g) over the top.
- Cut your pastry into thin strips, measuring about 1cm wide. Carefully twist a few times, pushing any cheese that falls out back in.
- Place on a non-stick baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Scatter the remaining cheese (35g) over the top and bake for 15-18 minutes until golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Best served warm from the oven (allow to cool before serving to babies and children) but fine the next day too if stored in an airtight container.
Notes
- To make butternut squash purée steam or roast your squash, cool and then blend until smooth. A jar of ready made purée or baby food can also be used.
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide only.
Nutrition
If you like this you might like this butternut squash cake.
Pin butternut squash puff pastry cheese straws for later
NB: this recipe was updated in May 2019. In the original recipe after spreading the butternut squash and cheese over the pastry I folded it in half and re-rolled it, before cutting into strips. I have since decided that the new method below is easier.
HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?
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Tori
Can they be frozen?
Mandy Mazliah
Yes, they aren’t quite as nice as when they’re freshly cooked but they are fine.
Stacey
These are brilliant!
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Stacey! X
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
ooh what a fabulous idea Mandy, they look brilliant and no doubt far tastier than any shop bought version.
Mandy Mazliah
I think so - especially straight from the oven X
Midgie
Oooh these look lovely! Definitely going to have to give these a go - the Peachicks would love this!
Mandy Mazliah
Let me know how they go down X
Hayley
What a great way to sneak in some veg 🙂 Thanks for linking to #CookBlogShare
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Hayley - you know me, always looking for ways to get my kids to eat their veggies!
Faye Colegate
In the oven...fingers crossed my snotty chicken pox son and his pox party cousin visitor like them!! Thanks for the inspo. Faye xx
Mandy Mazliah
Hope they go down well!
Eb Gargano
Wow - now that is sneaky!! But I bet they taste amazing. Love how you find such ingenious ways to get vegetable into your children 🙂 Eb x
Mandy Mazliah
They really do taste amazing!