Olive Cheese Straws arranged on a serving board.

Olive Cheese Straws

These Olive Cheese Straws are made with puff pastry, a sprinkle of sharp cheese, fresh thyme and chopped olives. Within minutes, you can have a delightfully savory snack.

Olive Cheese Straws arranged on a serving board.
Olive Cheese Straws

Whether for a simple snack or an elegant appetizer, this savory Olive Cheese Straws Recipe will surely be a winner.

Olive Cheese Straws arranged on a serving board.

Disclosure: This post was originally brought to you by California Ripe Olives.

Snacking Time!

I’ve made a little pact with myself. It all started when the children officially said farewell to their teachers. All of a sudden, the activities shifted from homework, practice, and rehearsals to looser mornings – where whims could be reality.It came about when we all relaxed a little more – when meals didn’t have to be rigid. Between Father’s Day and my birthday and the Fourth of July just days away, I have promised myself to keep things fun, to keep it light, and to keep this feeling of celebration going all summer long.

So here’s the deal. I’m a grazer. I love to snack. Big, heavy meals for me go hand in hand with scarves and boots. But come summer, I indulge in my grazing habits. It’s far easier to nibble when we picnic, or entertain, or hang out by the pool, or take a road trip. I’m happiest when a meal means fresh fruit, raw vegetables, perhaps a few good cheeses, and some bread. Who’s with me?

Black olives in a wooden serving dish.

When my children look for a snack, sometimes they are happy just to open a can of olives and plop them straight into their mouth. So when my friends at California Ripe Olives asked Americans how they love to snack, it was pretty interesting to see that I’m not alone:

An infographic about olives and snacking from California Ripe Olives.

Olive Cheese Straws Recipe

I thought I would take olives a little step further than out of the can – these Olive Cheese Straws are so fun! I always have puff pastry in the freezer, so making them is simple. All it takes is a sprinkle of sharp parmesan and sharp cheddar, along with fresh thyme and chopped olives. Within minutes, you have a delightfully savory snack.

The straws keep for several days, so if you’re having a party or a picnic, you can make them in advance. Serve these with a charcuterie platter and they’re instantly party-friendly. Or you can do as I did for my sister and her husband, and pack some up for a mid-flight treat on their travels home after a visit.

Chopping olives out of the can.
Sprinkling a sheet of rolled out puff pastry with chopped olives and grated cheese.
Using a pizza cutter to cut olive cheese straws before baking.
Olive Cheese Straws arranged on a wooden serving board.

Disclosure: This post is brought to you by California Ripe Olives in partnership with Kitchen Play as a part of their Snacking Program. For more information about California Ripe Olives, be sure to visit their website, or join them on Facebook or Twitter. Sponsored posts such as these help support the work behind the scenes on Kitchen Confidante. Thank you so much for your visits and for making my blog part of your day. As always, all opinions are my own.

Olive Cheese Straws on a serving board.

More Easy Appetizers

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Roasted Tomato Caprese Skewers
Caramelized Onion, Feta & Serrano Ham Flatbread
Albóndigas with Olives
Caramelized Grape, Brie and Walnut Bites

Olive Cheese Straws

Whether for a simple snack or an elegant appetizer, this savory Olive Cheese Straws Recipe will surely be a winner.
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings 12 straws
Calories 159kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 cup grated aged cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup finely chopped California Ripe Olives
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme

Instructions

  • Defrost the puff pastry according to the package directions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about 1/16 inch thick. The size of the pastry will depend on the brand you use, but you will likely have a rectangle about 12×30 inches.
  • Whisk together the egg with about 1 teaspoon of water and lightly brush onto the pastry.
  • On one half of the dough, working cross-wise, sprinkle the Parmesan, cheddar, olives, and thyme.
  • Gently fold over the other half of the dough and lightly press with the rolling pin. Using a floured pizza cutter or knife, cut the edges so you have an even rectangle.
  • Cut even strips and place on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet, twisting if you wish.
  • Refrigerate the dough while you preheat the oven to 375° F.
  • Bake for about 15 minutes, then gently turn the straws over, and bake for 1-2 minutes more. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
  • Enjoy warm or at room temperature. Once cooled, the straws may be stored in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Quantities: The size of the puff pastry rectangle may vary a bit depending on what brand you use, so this recipe generally yields 12 to 15 straws.
Make ahead: The cooled straws may be stored in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 147IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see! Tag @kitchconfidante on Instagram and hashtag it #kitchenconfidante

Comments

Recipe Rating




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  1. Anita

    Husband and I are “playing” in the kitchen today with this recipe. The first batch (1/2 a pastry sheet) followed the recipe except for an unidentifiable (missing label) hard cheese that tastes yummy. Second half batch used cilantro instead of thyme (I consider cilantro one of my must have herbs.) There is another sheet of puff pastry waiting to be halved (small kitchen = limited counter space.) First half will have smoked cheddar, finely diced raw jalapeños, and granulated garlic. Second half will have chopped green onion and granulated garlic with the unknown cheese from previous batches.

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      Hi, Anita! I love that you and your husband are having fun with the cheese straws! All the variety sounds amazing.

      Reply
  2. Judy T

    I love these thank you. I can’t stop myself but I always fiddle a bit with recipes and I added a sprinkle of cayenne pepper and fresh thyme.

    Reply
  3. Gene Cox

    I’m totally with you when you say that a meal means fresh fruit, raw vegetables, perhaps a few good cheeses, and some bread! Especially the cheese part

    Reply
    • Liren Baker

      Pat, I would love for you to win, too! Are you on Pinterest? If so, I will try to add you to the All Things Olives Board so you can pin to win. Let me know what your Pinterest handle is.

      Reply
    • Liren Baker

      Hi Margot! I was finally able to invite you to the board (I thought I had sent an invite already but there was a glitch). Once you accept the invite, you can go ahead and pin the focaccia (yum!). Thank you!!

      Reply
  4. Monet

    These are beautiful. They would be perfect for a party were throwing over the weekend. And I’m right there with you: total grazer. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  5. Liz Barbo

    I must try these, olives are HUGE in our house!  I have to look for a good “Liren worthy” pin!

    Reply
  6. Simone

    Those look totally perfect. Like you I always have puff pastry in the freezer and I tend to always have olives around too, so I would think match made!

    Reply
  7. Greg Greenwald

    I’m not a huge fan of olive but the recipe sounds and looks good.  I will have to try to to see if my opinion changes on olives. 

    Reply
  8. Margot C

    Hi! I already LOVE your Cheese Straws idea. My Mom used to make Cheese Straws (very 1950’s) for cocktail snacks and she would have loved these.

    Would you add me so that I too can post to your olive Pinterest board? I have some stuff already that you might like.

    Here I am on Pinterest:
    Margot Core – http://pinterest.com/margotcore/

    Check out my massive Food Board. I have 1,155 followers (I have no idea if that is a lot or not). I already re-pinned some of your stuff. Of the stuff on my food board I end up making about 35%, which I do think is pretty good!

    Reply
  9. Donna

    I too am a fan of black olives. Love the recipe and the photos. You have given me inspiration to experiment more with one of my favorite foods.

    Reply
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