These aged cheddar bred sticks are perfect with a glass of wine, as a gift with a bottle of wine or just to snack on. These are full of cheese flavour, paired with the sweet/tart note of dried cranberries.

cheese twists with cranberries tied up together

If you’ve ever enjoyed a cranberry old cheddar cheese, you know what a fabulous flavour combination it is. If you haven’t, you are in for a treat! These homemade cheese twists are flavoured with aged cheddar cheese and studded with dried cranberries. They make a great addition to a cheese or charcuterie board or for a wine and cheese party appetizer.

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Ingredients and Substitutions

Cheddar Cheese – go for a nice old cheddar cheese, either white or yellow. This will give you the best cheese flavour in your twists.

Dried Cranberries – you can use either sweetened or unsweetened dried cranberries.

Yeast – you can use either Active Dry Yeast or regular Instant yeast for these cheese twists.

Recipe Tips

Not a fan of cranberries? Switch out the cranberries with anything you like. I think finely diced jalapeno would be great. Or you could just use a variety of chopped fresh herbs. Use your imagination and make them your own.

cheese twists with cranberries tied up together

Making Ahead, Storing and Freezing

These bread sticks are best on the day they are baked, but if you’d like to make ahead, I think you could re-crisp them with a few minutes in a 350° F. oven. These would freeze well, too!

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cheese twists with cranberries tied up together

Get the Recipe: Aged Cheddar Cheese Twists

Delicious twisted cheese sticks, full of aged cheddar cheese and dried cranberries. Perfect with a glass of wine, as a gift or just for snacking.
5 stars from 2 ratings
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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 28 sticks

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup lukewarm water, 110F
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
  • 6 oz old cheddar cheese, chilled (about 2 1/2 cups grated)
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a kneading hook, add warm water and sugar. Stir. Sprinkle with yeast and allow to stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
  • Meanwhile, grate your cheese and set aside. Chop cranberries with a sharp knife in to smaller pieces and set aside.
  • When yeast is ready, add flour, salt, vegetable oil and Dijon mustard. Knead well, adding a bit more flour, if necessary, until your dough comes together (it will still be a bit sticky at this point). Sprinkle in cranberries and mix until combined with the dough. Repeat with the grated cheese.
  • Remove dough to a floured surface. Knead, adding a bit more flour as necessary to prevent it sticking to the surface, until dough is soft and smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rise until doubled, 60-90 minutes.
  • When dough is risen, remove to a large floured surface. Roll dough in to a 10 x 15-inch rectangle. With the short side closest to you, slice in to 3/4-inch wide strips from top to bottom. When all the 3/4-inch long strips are cut, make one cut across the middle from right to left, cutting each of the long strips in half. You should have approximately 28 strips that are 3/4-inches wide by 7 1/2-inches long.
  • Preheat oven to 350° F. (regular bake setting/not fan assisted) with oven racks in top third and bottom third of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Take a strip of dough and holding both ends, twist in opposite directions, to twist the dough. Place the strip on a baking sheet, lightly pressing the ends in to the baking sheet to hold it in place. Repeat with the remaining strips, distributing them between the two baking sheets. Cover trays with a tea towel and set aside to rest for 15-20 minutes.
  • When dough has rested, place one tray on the top rack and one on the bottom. Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate pans from top to bottom and front to back. Continue baking for another 8-10 minutes (16-18 minutes total), until lightly golden. *BE SURE TO WATCH CLOSELY IN THE LAST MINUTES OF BAKING, AS THEY GO FROM GOLDEN TO BROWN VERY QUICKLY!
  • Remove baking sheets from oven and immediately remove bread sticks to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Course: Appetizers
Author: Jennifer Maloney
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 43kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 6mg, Sodium: 142mg, Potassium: 9mg, Vitamin A: 60IU, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 0.1mg
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