Description
These Chili Cheese Savory Shortbread Bites are buttery, crumbly, and beautifully cheesy with a hint of spice from chili flakes and fresh rosemary. Perfect as an elegant snack for holiday entertaining or gifting, these star-shaped shortbread cookies combine sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyere cheeses for a rich, savory flavor. Made with a simple food processor method (or by hand), they bake to golden perfection and crisp up delightfully as they cool.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheeses
- 100g strong cheddar (1 cup)
- 50g Parmesan (1/2 cup)
- 50g Gruyere (1/2 cup)
Dry Ingredients
- 220g all-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon za’atar (or dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
Butter
- 210g unsalted butter, cold and sliced into cubes
Instructions
- Shred the Cheeses: Slice the strong cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyere into smaller pieces. Place them into the bowl of your food processor and blitz until shredded.
- Make the Dough: Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, chili flakes, za’atar, salt, cold cubed butter, and fresh rosemary to the bowl. Pulse until the mixture forms a soft, slightly lumpy dough that clumps together. If the dough seems dry, add 1-2 teaspoons cold water to help bring it together. If greasy, add 1 tablespoon extra flour.
- Roll Out the Dough: Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle a little flour on top, then roll it into a rough rectangle about 1/2 inch thick with a rolling pin.
- Cut Out Shapes: Use a star cookie cutter (or any preferred shape) to cut the dough into pieces. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting shapes until the dough is all used. Arrange cut cookies on a lined baking tray. If dough is sticky, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up, making it easier to work with.
- Chill the Cookies: Place the baking tray with cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or in the freezer for 15 minutes. This helps the cookies keep their shape during baking.
- Preheat and Bake: Heat your oven to 350°F (180°C fan). Transfer the chilled baking tray to the oven and bake the shortbread bites for 15 minutes until golden around the edges but still pale on top.
- Cool the Cookies: Remove the tray from the oven and let the cookies cool on the tray for about 5 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will be a little soft initially but will crisp up wonderfully as they cool.
Notes
- For best results, weigh all ingredients using a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can make the dough by hand by rubbing the butter into the flour mixture until crumbly, then adding the shredded cheese and other ingredients before forming the dough.
- Chilling the dough and cut cookies is essential for maintaining shape and preventing spreading during baking.
- The cookies are a great savory snack and can be shaped with any cookie cutter for a festive presentation.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 cookies
- Calories: 177 kcal
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 103 mg
- Fat: 12.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.8 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
