Description
These Chili Cheese Savory Shortbread Bites are buttery, crumbly, and packed with a blend of strong cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyere cheeses, with a touch of spicy chili flakes and aromatic rosemary. Perfectly golden and crisp, these savory shortbread stars make an elegant snack or appetizer ideal for holiday entertaining or gifting.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Mixture
- 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
- Prepare Cheese: Slice the cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyere into smaller pieces and add to your food processor bowl. Blitz until shredded finely to ensure even distribution in the dough.
- Make Dough: Add the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, chili flakes, za’atar, salt, cold cubed butter, and fresh rosemary to the food processor with the cheese. Pulse until the mixture starts to form a soft, slightly lumpy dough that clumps together. If it's too dry, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of cold water. If too greasy, add 1 tablespoon of extra flour.
- Roll Dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and sprinkle a little flour on top. Roll out into a rough rectangle about 1/2 inch thick using a rolling pin.
- Cut Shapes: Use a star-shaped cookie cutter or your preferred shape to cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll scraps and continue cutting out cookies until all dough is used. Place cut cookies on a lined baking tray. If dough feels sticky, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
- Chill Cookies: For tidy shapes that hold during baking, chill the tray of cut cookies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes if you’re short on time.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C fan). Bake the chilled cookies on their tray for 15 minutes or until beautifully golden around the edges but still pale on top.
- Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the tray for 5 minutes to firm up. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing them to crisp perfectly as they cool.
Notes
- For the best results, weigh your ingredients using a digital 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 and cheese mixture until crumbly, then bringing it together with cold water.
- The dough can be refrigerated or frozen before baking to ensure cookies hold their shape well.
- These shortbread bites store well in an airtight container for a few days and make excellent gifts or party snacks.
- Feel free to substitute za’atar with dried thyme or other herbs if unavailable.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 cookies
- Calories: 177 calories
- 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
