It is requiring every ounce of my will power not to eat all of these off the counter right now. They are intended for a birthday* tonight and now that I’ve published them on the internet I officially can’t devour the cheesy magical sticks myself. But goodness me, these are excellent. If you like crunchy snacks, cheese, and fun-shaped food this recipe is perfect. I’d like to try these again with another kind of cheese and maybe other spices. Gorgonzola? Maybe for tomorrow’s evening-of-snacking otherwise known as the Puppy Bowl. Or that football game is happening too.

*Happy birthday, Lisa!

Spicy Cheddar Cheese Sticks
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

6 ounces grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (yummy cheese is essential here)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, still a bit cold
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk (I used skim)

In a Cuisinart, add grated cheese, butter, flour, salt, and pepper flakes. Pulse to combine. The mixture should have small crumbles. Add milk and pulse until the dough forms a ball.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about 1/8 inch thick. Using a sharp knife (or pizza cutter) create long strips. I made mine about 1/2 inch wide and 10 inches long.

Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. The ends and bottoms of the sticks should be golden brown. Delicately remove them from the pan once they’ve cooled a bit. Munch away.