If you love cheese, you will absolutely enjoy these salty and savory cookies.  They are finger-sized and is one of the most popular cookies in Indonesia.

A favorite for gift exchange between households during the major holidays, such as New Year, Christmas, and Eid al-Fitr.  There is no sugar added, which makes it very unique for a cookie.

Instead, a generous amount of grated sharp cheese is combined to give its distinct nutty-cheesy aroma, flavor, and texture.

KAASSTENGEL: WHAT IS THE PROPER SPELLING?

Since I’m writing about the recipe, I need to make sure I get it right. And there’s no better person to ask than my dad (not even google).

According to him, it’s spelled KAASSTENGEL, a Dutch word for cheese straw or stick. Although, I have seen it labeled as KASTENGEL, which I concluded is the written translation to Indonesian.

Take your pick, kaasstengel or kastengel.

MY KAASSTENGEL TRAVELING ½ WAY AROUND THE WORLD

Until just recently, my parents always took an annual trip to visit the United States for an extended stay.  If you’ve never seen an Indonesian travel abroad, I should inform you, they never travel light.

Why so?

It’s because of all the local food they have to transport. 

Long before their travel dates were finalized, my sister and I started sending them notes to add to the list of food to bring. My parents would travel with 4 large suitcases and 2 carry-ons, with food taking ½ of the space.

They brought everything from cookies, cakes, sambal (hot sauce), fried shallots, coffee, even our special top ramen, and fried wontons.

My mom would spend hours carefully packing them in plastic bags and bubble wrap to making sure nothing leaked and the cookies remained intact.  Among all that food, a few containers worth of Kaastengel would make it here for my oldest girl and my co-workers.

These cheesy cookies are a bit unusual, but always a hit.

INDONESIANS AND CHEESE

If you’re not an Indonesian, it might bogle your mind to find out Indonesians consume few dairy products. There aren’t many dairy farms around that produce fresh milk, let alone a specialty, artisan cheeses. This was more true when I was living there decades ago.

I can tell you this.  My mom rarely had milk stocked in our refrigerator, maybe powder or condensed milk but never fresh milk.

This is probably why at a whopping 158 cm, I’m the tallest in my family!

If my mom needs cheese to make some of her Dutch-Indonesian recipe, she would resort to Kraft cheese packed in a blue can.  Yes.  Canned cheese….that’s what I grew up with!

These days, you can find fresh cheese imported from Australia, the Netherlands, and other cheese producing countries, but it comes at a premium ($$$).

WHICH CHEESE TO USE FOR KAASSTENGEL

Trust me, this recipe calls for a sharp-flavored cheese.  Any Dutch cheese such as aged Gouda (12 month plus), Beemster, even sharp cheddar work wonders.

If you live in Indonesia, Kraft cheese is always an option.  But if you don’t like sharp cheese, you can opt for a milder tasting cheddar or young Gouda. 

PREPARATION TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE KAASSTENGEL

I’ve eaten these cookies all my life but just like many Indonesians, I never learned to make them at home.  To my defense, these cookies are very easy to find in local shops.

Since this is one of the most popular Indonesian cookies, I know I would have to learn how to make them for my blog, and boy I’m glad I did (except for the fact I can gobble up a dozen within minutes and that is just not good for my waistline).

I knew it couldn’t be that hard to make.  I’ve made enough pie crusts and tarts before, and I figured the preparation is somewhat similar, and that’s the technique I’ve decided to adopt for my Kaasstengel recipe.

I was right.

It’s easy and simple to make and within one hour my family can enjoy freshly baked kaasstengel that should last for a few days unless eaten sooner. 

• One of the advantages making kaasstengel at home is you can eat right out of the oven. I’m telling you, it’s super delicious warm.  (I think I scored a major point with my daughter who is not usually a fan of these cookies)
• Depends on how dry the air is while making the dough, you might need to adjust the water.  Add a tablespoon at a time and monitor how the dough looks like.  If it ends up to sticky/wet, you can sprinkle a little flour.
• I use a stand-up mixer with a paddle attachment, alternatively, you can use a food processor or pastry cutter or two knives to cut butter into the flour mixture.  Be sure not to overwork the dough or it will turn hard.
• Use the best quality butter you can find.  I use Plugra or President. Both are European butter with a higher fat content than the average American butter.
• Mixing a tablespoon of cornstarch into the flour will ensure an extra crispier texture.

Yield: 50-60 cookies

Kaasstengel Recipe (Indo-Dutch Cheese Stick Cookies)

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If you love cheese, you would absolutely enjoy this little salty, savory, and cheese cookies. Kaasstengel cookies are finger-sized in shape and are one of the most popular cookies in Indonesia. A favorite for gift exchange between families and friends.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes

Total Time 37 minutes

Ingredients

For cookie dough

• 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbs cornstarch
• ½ cup butter (4 oz)
• 6 oz sharp cheese such as cheddar, aged gouda or beemster, grated
• 1 egg yolk
• 4-5 tbs ice water
• 1/4 tsp salt

For topping

• 1-2 oz grated sharp cheddar for topping
• 1 egg yolk for egg-wash

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Place flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl of a stand-up mixer.
3. Cut butter into 1/2” cubes and add to flour mixture.
4. Using a paddle attachment stir in low speed until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
5. While the mixer is on, add egg yolk and grated cheese and slowly add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough start to come together. Turn off mixer.
6. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and gather into a large ball. Give the dough a few kneads.
7. Cut dough in half.
8. Roll out dough using a rolling pin to about 1/3” thick. Sprinkle some flour if dough is too sticky to roll. Using a knife, cut dough in strips about the width of your finger, then cut length-wise into 1” long.
9. Place cut cookie dough into a parchment-lined large cookie sheet.
10. In another small bowl, lightly whisk the other egg yolk with a fork.
11. Using a brush or your finger, coat the top of each cookie with egg wash.
12. Sprinkle grated cheddar over each cookie.
13. Bake for 22 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and let cool.
14. Serve at room temperature.
15. They can be kept in an air-tight container for up to 1 week.

CONCLUSION

Growing up, it seems like we always have a container of this around the house, especially my dad being a big cheese lover.  I am happy to say I can now stock this in my house without waiting for my parents to visit.

It’s a great snack for the kids to snack on, as well as to take to work to share with co-workers.

Additionally, it’s easy to make and only requires a few ingredients. I hope you will try this unusual cookie recipe in your own kitchen and wow your family and friends with a delicious Indonesian-Dutch recipe.