Why it works: Milk and cream cheese are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 13% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,393 recipes. Both carry ethyl 2-methylbutyrate, which smells fruity, apple. The science ↓
Cheese Straws
Ingredients
Directions
Make the dough
Combine butter or lard with 1 cup milk.
Stir in 1 cup snappy cream cheese, red pepper, and salt.
Add enough flour to form a dough that can be rolled.
Shape and bake
Roll dough and cut into narrow strips.
Bake strips until light brown.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 2 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Cream Cheese | 1 oz (28g) | 99 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Milk + cream cheesetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,393 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Milk
- Adds moisture to hydrate the flour and bind the dough.
- Cream cheese
- Adds fat and richness, softening the texture of the dough.
- Flour (in the method)
- Provides structure so the dough can be rolled and hold its shape.
- Butter or lard (in the method)
- Adds fat that tenderizes the dough and contributes to browning.
The step that matters
Add enough flour to form a dough that can be rolled. Flour builds structure, but adding too much makes the dough dry and crumbly, so straws turn brittle. Add it gradually until the dough just holds together.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
More cheese straws recipes
You might also like
Cheese Balls97 recipes
Cheese Cake55 recipes
Cream Cheese46 recipes
Lemon Pie37 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.