Parmesan Cheese Cookies, Savoury Shortbread

Parmesan Cheese Cookies made with freshly grated parmesan cheese, fennel seeds and red pepper flakes for a little kick. These savoury shortbread biscuits are whipped up using a food processor so are easy! Serve as part of an antipasto platter, cheese board or simple snack!

If you love sharing platters or cheeseboards you can love these parmesan cheese cookies!

They're the solid addition to an antipasto spread alongside some marinated olives (we've got a 5 min recipe for those) cured meats and your favourite cheeses.

Better yet, they are so effortless! They're made in a food processor so there's no mess and can be made in advance!

Buttery, incredibly cheesy with a kick of chilli and fennel, we mean, these cookies are SO addictive!

Ingredients for Making Parmesan Cheese Cookies

• Flour – you need plain or all-purpose flour
• Butter – make sure it's softened before using (get our good hack for softening butter in 5 minutes here).
• Parmesan – freshly grated (don't use pre-grated)
• Red pepper flakes & fennel seeds – our favourite spice combo for everything from pasta sauces to bread
• 1 egg – large sized

How to Make Parmesan Cheese Cookies – Step by Step

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blitz together until the majority of it has clumped together (there will be some crumbs) (photo 1 & 2).

Turn it out onto a clean surface and bring the dough together, knead gently for a few seconds until you've shaped it into a smooth ball (photo 3).

Cut the dough in half then take one half and roll it into a sausage shape keeping each end flat and not rounded (photos 4 & 5).

Roll the sausage shape in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal, repeat with the second half then place in the fridge for 45minutes to 1 hour to chill (photos 6).

Once chilled cut the dough logs into coins around 1/2cm (1/4 inch thick) and place on a baking tray (photo 7).

Bake until starting to turn golden around the edges (around 15-20 minutes) set aside to cool and serve (photo 8).

Can these Cheese Cookies be Frozen?

Yes, you can make the dough in advance roll them into cylinders and freeze them rolled in plastic wrap then foil for an extra barrier.

Then let the dough thaw until it can easily be cut and bake as instructed.

If you want to prepare these cheese cookies in advance and not freeze them then you can keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Other Cheeses You Can Use

If you're not a fan of parmesan or want to try something different then white cheddar, gruyere or pecorino would all work well!

Serving Suggestions

Parmesan cheese cookies are great as they are served as a snack with some cream cheese or served with chutney with a cheeseboard but if you want to go all out and serve them as an antipasto platter here are some great options to serve them with

• Marinated olives
• Fried sausage stuffed olives
• Bruschetta al Pomodoro
• Artichoke dip (not the creamy one you may know)
• Soft cheeses – goat cheese, cream cheese, herb, and garlic soft cheese, gorgonzola
• Hard cheeses – extra mature cheddar, stilton, comte
• Cured meats – choose your favourites
• Marinated eggplant or other veggies such as marinated bell peppers and artichokes
• Fruit and nuts – figs, apricots, and walnuts work well and help make a board look so impressive

Top Tips for Making Parmesan Cheese Cookies

• Make sure the butter is softened before using
• You can easily adapt the seasonings to your liking (try out different herbs and spices)
• The raw dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking
• Baked cheese cookies will store well in airtight containers

Ingredients

Makes 35 - 40 cookies

• 1 1/3 cups plain flour ((170g))
• 3.5 oz softened butter ((100g/ 1/2 cup))
• 1.5 cups freshly grated parmesan ((70g))
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds ((adjust to preference))
• 1 tbsp chilli flakes ((adjust to preference))

Method

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor and blitz together until the majority of it has clumped together (there will be some crumbs).

2. Turn it out onto a clean surface and bring the dough together (you may need a very light dusting of flour to stop it sticking), knead gently for a few seconds and bring it together to a smooth ball.

3. Cut the dough in half then take one half and roll it into a sausage shape keeping each end flat and not rounded. The cookies don't expand much in the oven so the size you roll out will be the size of the cookies.

4. Roll the sausage shape in plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal, repeat with the second half then place in the fridge for 45minutes to 1 hour to chill.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 180C (350F)

6. Once chilled cut the dough logs into coins around 1 cm (1/2 inch thick) and place on a baking tray.

7. Bake until starting to turn golden around the edges (around 15-20 minutes) set aside to cool and serve.

Kitchen notes

• Make sure the butter is softened before using
• You can easily adapt the seasonings to your liking (try out different herbs and spices or leave them out altogether)
• The raw dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days before baking
• Baked cheese cookies will store well in airtight containers