Kaasstengels in Indonesia | |
| Type | Cookie |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Netherlands |
| Associatedcuisine | Netherlands andIndonesia |
| Main ingredients | Flour,maizena,baking powder,egg yolks,butter ormargarine,salt,sugar,cheddar cheese and oredam cheese |
| Variations | Kastengel,kue keju (Indonesia) |

Kaasstengels (// ⓘ),Kastengel orkue keju are aDutchcheesesnack in the shape of sticks. Owing to itscolonial links to the Netherlands, kaasstengels are also commonly found inIndonesia.[1] The name refers to its ingredients, shape and origin;kaas is theDutch word for "cheese", whilestengels means "sticks". Unlike most cookies,kaasstengels taste savoury and salty instead of sweet.[2]
In Indonesiakaasstengels, together withnastar andputri salju are the popularkue kering ("driedkue", or cookie),[3] during festive occasions, such asNatal (Christmas) andLebaran (Eid al Fitr).[4] It is one of severalDutch delicacies that has been adopted intoIndonesian cuisine since the colonial era.[5]
Kaasstengels' dough is made of a fine mixture of butter or margarine with egg yolks, with addition of gratedcheese, then mixed together with flour, cornstarch and baking powder. The kind of cheese being use might beedam,[6]gouda orcheddar.[7]
The dough is rolled into small rectangles, brushed with egg yolk, sprinkled with grated cheese, and thenbaked.[8]Nutritional yeast can be used as a substitute for cheese to make it suitable for avegan diet.[9] These pieces of kaasstengels must be kept in an airtight container, e.g. tin, plastic or glass container, to maintain its freshness and crumbly texture.[6]