Description
These Chili Cheese Savory Shortbread Bites are buttery, crumbly, and packed with a blend of strong cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyere cheeses with a hint of chili heat and fresh rosemary. Perfect as elegant, savory snacks for holiday entertaining or gifting, these star-shaped shortbread cookies combine cheese, herbs, and spices into a deliciously addictive bite-sized treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese
- 100g strong cheddar (1 cup)
- 50g Parmesan (1/2 cup)
- 50g Gruyere (1/2 cup)
Dough
- 210g unsalted butter, cold and sliced into cubes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon za’atar (or dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 220g all-purpose flour (1 1/4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour)
Instructions
- Prepare the Cheese: Slice the cheese into smaller pieces then add to a food processor. Blitz until shredded finely to ensure even distribution in dough.
- Make the Dough: Add the flour, cornstarch, chili flakes, za’atar, salt, cold cubed butter, and fresh rosemary to the shredded cheese in the processor. Pulse until the mixture clumps together and forms a soft, slightly lumpy dough. If the dough seems dry, add 1 or 2 teaspoons cold water to bring it together; if greasy, add 1 tablespoon extra flour.
- Roll Out the Dough: Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and sprinkle the top with flour. Roll out into a rough rectangle about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut Out Shapes: Use a star cookie cutter (or preferred shape) to cut out cookies. Re-roll scraps as necessary. Place cut cookies onto a lined baking tray. If dough is sticky, wrap in plastic and chill in fridge for 15 minutes to firm up for easier handling and neater shapes.
- Chill the Cookies: Refrigerate the cookies on the tray for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes to help maintain their shape during baking.
- Preheat Oven: While chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C fan). Prepare for baking.
- Bake: Transfer the chilled cookies on their tray directly into the oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until edges are golden and tops remain slightly pale.
- Cool: Remove tray from oven and let cookies rest on the tray for about 5 minutes to firm up. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely where they will crisp up further.
Notes
- For best results, weigh ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for accuracy.
- If dough is sticky and difficult to cut, refrigerate it wrapped for 15 minutes before rolling.
- Za’atar can be substituted with dried thyme if unavailable.
- These bites keep their shape best when chilled before baking, especially with intricate cookie cutters.
- Recipe makes about 50 small cookies depending on cutter size.
- Cookies will be soft right out of the oven but will crisp up as they cool; avoid overbaking to prevent dryness.
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
