Savory Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread
Savory parmesan rosemary shortbread is tender, buttery, and exploding with cheesy herb flavor.
Why You’ll Love These
Fresh rosemary, parmesan cheese, and loads of fresh cracked black pepper make this the perfect cocktail appetizer or just as a snack.
We couldn’t keep our hands out of the jar, even if we weren’t holding a cocktail in the other hand. These parmesan shortbread cookies are that good!
Other appetizer recipes we love to make are Firecracker chicken meatballs, sausage pretzel bites, spinach dip from scratch, and honey mustard pretzels.
How to Make Savory Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread
Unfortunately, this shortbread is super easy to prepare and eat!
In an electric stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy. You can also use a hand mixer.
Add the freshly grated parmesan cheese, flour, salt, finely chopped fresh rosemary, and black pepper.
Beat until it comes together into a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (a few loose crumbs remain)
Turn the dough out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, and knead it a few times until smooth ball forms without any major cracks.
Roll the dough into a 10″ log and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 30 minutes or chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
We refrigerate overnight. The flavor is much better.
I have probably said this before, but I can’t cut a straight line or roll anything into a perfectly beautiful circle. So be better than me when you make this parmesan biscuit recipe.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove from the fridge and slice into 1/4″ – 1/2″ inch thick slices (rounds). Place them on the baking sheet with about 1 inch between them. They don’t spread much.
Bake for 16 to 22 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Baking time will depend on the thickness of the rounds.
This savory shortbread just melts in your mouth. Highly addictive. You’ve been warned!
Tips
- Measure the flour properly. Aerate, spoon, and swoop level.
- This parmesan shortbread needs to be chilled before baking. You want the butter to set bake up so they don’t spread during baking.
- You can use Pecorino Romano cheese instead of Parmesan cheese.
- Grate your own cheese. The pre-shredded cheese is coated in cellulose and doesn’t melt the same.
- If you don’t like rosemary you can use any fresh herbs of your choice.
- You can make these smaller by rolling the log of dough out longer, about 12″-13″ long. They will be more of a one-bite size.
FAQs
Absolutely! These parmesan shortbread rounds are even better when chilled overnight. You can prepare the dough and refrigerate it for up to 48 hours before baking. You can also freeze the dough log for up to 1 month.
Let the parmesan shortbread biscuits cool completely, place them in an air-tight container or resealable bag, and store them at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Let them cool completely, place them in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Savory Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups freshly grated parmesan
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer, beat the butter until creamy.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add the parmesan cheese, flour, salt, rosemary, and pepper. Beat until it comes together into a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. (a few loose crumbs remain)1 1/4 cups freshly grated parmesan, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Turn the dough out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap, knead it a few times until smooth ball forms without any major cracks, and roll it into a 10-inch log. **See notes**
- Wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes, or until firm. We like to refrigerate the dough overnight. The flavors are so much better.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the log into roughly 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces (make sure they’re all the same thickness). Place the dough slices about an inch apart on the half-sheet pan and bake for 16 to 22 minutes (depending on their thickness), or until firm and golden brown.
- Cool on the baking sheet for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe inspired by TechnicolorKitchen
Should the Parmesan cheese be packed or loose in the one cup measure?
Honestly, I don’t think there is a wrong answer to this question. 🙂 But, we just added the cheese to the measuring cup without packing. Feel free to use a lil extra cheese, if you like. 🙂
can i use dried rosemary? i cant find fresh rosemary here. thanks
I don’t recommend using dried. It tends to be tough and woody.
A personal favorite, and also of my lucky guests!
I often just roll into a log to refrigerate or freeze. Nothing more rewarding than having this to create quickly.
We agree! Thanks, Vera.
Bacon jam is what I will serve with mine
These are great for a party (I double the recipe since the parties I go to are often 30+ people, and these things go quickly!). Not only is the dough better if it’s in the fridge overnight (or eight or more hours, anyway – I’ve also made it in the morning and baked it in the evening), the “cookies” also get better a day or two after they’re baked. So….a perfect make-ahead appetizer!
Hi DSTR — these sound fab! Could I use Gluten-free flour? It looks like King Arthur GF flour is measured one-for-one.
I’ve never tried them with gluten-free flour, but you can certainly give it a try. Let us know how they turn out.
I have made these many times since finding your recipe a few months ago. On point !! Gone in a flash. Serve w blackberry jam❤️
Excellent ! Really. A perfect shortbread, with an amazing taste.
I used organic butter and fresh rosemary. I also added some dry thyme. I did not have fresh Parmesan to grate so I used grated Parmesan from Costco. It’s denser than freshly grated cheese so ounce for ounce, I must have used much more Parmesan. (Isn’t this proof N.American recipes should specify ingredients by metric weight like the European recipes ?). My dough was super crumbly even before adding the flour. I just knew I would need more butter (about 2 TBSP) so this would come together as a dough. It worked.
I chilled the rolled dough for about 2 hours , then sliced and baked.
Will freeze my baked shortbread crackers for a party. Would definitely make this recipe again.
I would welcome any interesting serving accompaniments. I had hoped to upload a picture, but I don’t see where that is possible.
I’m going to try this with almond flour.
Colleen I plan to make these soon and would be interested in how the recipe works with almond flour. Please leave a comment if you try- thank you!
I made these for a party of 300 – and they were absolutely delicious! I had people coming back for handfuls….. No spreading during the baking, and very easy to make. All measurements were spot-on. Thank you!
Hey, Claire! We are so happy to hear you loved the recipe! It’s one of my favs!!
I have made something similar in the past but couldn’t find the recipe. I just pulled a batch from your recipe and everything melted into one giant biscuit.
The only thing I did differently was to place the “coins” very close together (1/4 “). Was this my big mistake? Do you bring them to room temp before baking? Thank you in advance for your time.
Hi, Irene. I’m so sorry this happened. It’s never been a problem for me. You DO NOT want them room temperature. You want the butter to stay very cold. Maybe your butter had too much water content? Be sure your baking pan is not hot and the shortbread stays cold. I’m really not sure why this happened. So sorry! I wish I could be of more help.
I love a good savory shortbread and this sounds delicious, Leigh. They look so beautiful too with the lovely flecks of Rosemary. Thank you so much for sharing with us at Hearth and Soul. Sharing on Pinterest and on the Hearth and Soul Link Party Facebook Page. Hope to see you at the party when we return from summer break later today!
I’m not sure if I ever would have tried a recipe like this but it sounds delicious and your pictures are beautiful!!!
Thanks, Mary Beth! They are absolutely divine.