Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread

These savory shortbread cookies would be right at home on your cheese board where I’d also nestle a few roasted almonds nearby.  We enjoy these from lunch time to cocktail time, anytime the mood strikes. And their salty-sweetness goes dangerously well with a flute of bubbly for celebratory cheer.

I developed this recipe about 10 years ago as a savory option to a line of shortbread cookies made for commercial sale. They vied for the #2 spot in popularity behind the “classic” shortbread version.  Find my classic shortbread recipe here.

While the recipe sounds a bit fussy to make, the techniques are very straightforward and easy to track with a kitchen timer. A bench scraper with a measuring scale on the edge makes cutting in the pan and later spreading out each piece for their second bake. You can change the size and shape of the cookies as you prefer. Just be aware they are a bit crumbly when you are cutting them as they are still warm.

Parmesan Rosemary Shortbread

Makes on 9" X 13" pan; 35 pieces, 1-3/4 X 1-3/4" squares

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Ingredients

  

• 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter (12 ounces), room temperature, very squishy soft
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt fine grain
• 3/8 cup granulated sugar (2.25 ounces)
• 1-1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly and coarsely ground
• 3-3/8 cups all-purpose flour (14.75 ounces)
• 3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano freshly and finely grated
• 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary (0.5 ounces) finely minced
• 3/4 teaspoon Coarse sea salt (or flakes) for finishing

Instructions

 

• Center a rack in oven. Preheat the oven to “Convection Setting” 300°F.  Line the pan with sheet of parchment paper, with some overlap on at least one of the 9-inch sides.
• Place the butter in a large mixing bowl.  The butter must be very soft — the consistency of mayonnaise.  Add the salt to the butter and mix well with a wooden spoon so that it dissolves completely before adding the remaining ingredients.
• Add the granulated sugar and black pepper and mix just until combined.  Add the flour mixture all at once, along with the Parmesan and rosemary; and mix until evenly incorporated but dough is still crumbly.
• Pat gently and evenly into the prepared pan, making sure edges and corners are neat.  Do not press down too hard.
• Bake 40 - 45 minutes until pale, golden brown.  After initial baking, remove from oven, keeping oven on.  Let rest for 5minutes.  Using a bench scraper, cut straight down through the dough at 1-3/4” intervals, making five strips along 9” side of pan.  Give the pan a quarter turn and repeat cutting at 1-3/4” intervals, making 35 squares.  Sprinkle lightly with course sea salt, distributing evenly with a few grains on each square.
• Return to oven for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, remove from oven, and reduce the temperature to 250°F.  Let rest for 5 minutes.  Have a large cookie sheet ready (without sides makes things easier).  Carefully tip and pull an edge of the parchment paper lining the pan, transferring the shortbread onto the cookie sheet.  Using a bench scrapper, carefully cut through the shortbread squares completely and separate, allowing at least 1/4”between squares for air circulation. Return to the 250°F oven for another 10 minutes for final baking to dry and crisp the shortbread.
• Remove shortbread from oven and cool completely before handling and storing. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days. They can be re-crisped in a 300°F oven in about 5 – 10 minutes and are delicious eaten when slightly warm.