Holiday Eats: Sugar and Spice Straws with Orange and Walnuts

I can barely think 'holidays' without thinking sugar and spice and everything nice.  So when I stumbled upon a sugar and spice rendition of classic cheese straws, you can guess my elation--and equal determination to bring them to life in my kitchen.

This past weekend, I made good on that promise and spent a sunlit Sunday afternoon baking these delicacies, while singing and bopping along to tunes from my Christmas playlists, while relishing the fragrant wafts that filled my kitchen.  (And because you know how seriously I take self care, creating moments of happy and bliss, like this, are a priority.  And even more so against the backdrop of 2020.  So remember to take time to be good to you.)

Back to the recipe, it marries the warmth of five spice and cinnamon to bright citrus--and sugar, of course. :) As an added bonus, walnuts give great texture, along with nutty goodness, and flaky puff pastry brings it all together.  So as you're warming your oven in the days ahead, add this easy recipe to your repertoire.  The results are gorgeous, to boot, so no one has to know what a cinch they were to make.  It'll be our little secret.

And if I haven't raved enough already, you can serve them any number of ways, from cocktail party bites, as a part of a cheese board, paired with bubbly, or as an anytime snack.  

However you indulge, you're in for...Happy Eating!

Sugar and Spice Straws with Orange and Walnuts

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons five spice powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Zest of an orange

1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped 

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

Method:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

In a small bowl, combine sugar, five spice and cinnamon.

Roll out each pastry sheet to approximately 11in. square (no need to stress; just do your best, like I did!) Sprinkle half the sugar mixture evenly on one sheet. Follow with walnuts and orange zest.

Take the second sheet and lay directly on top of the first sheet.  Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture on top. Use rolling pin and roll out further (you'll also be pressing the sugar into the pastry by doing this) in one direction to form a rectangle that's approximately 11in. x 13in. 

Cut into 1/2 in. strips and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. (I used two to space them out.) Hold both ends and twist 3-4 times to form a spiral.  Pinch ends tightly to avoid unraveling while in the oven.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, rotating sheet pan(s) once, until deep golden brown.

Allow to cool on sheet pan.  Serve and enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Peter Som