Savory Cheddar Chive Shortbread

'Tis the season of cookies and Christmas baking: gracing the covers of every food magazine, piled high on platters at parties, stashed away in your freezer at home. I love cookies as much as the next person, but this sugar overload has me turning my back on chocolate, eggnog, and gingerbread in favor of  the salty side of the baking spectrum: savory shortbread.

Could this also be an excuse to cram even more cheese into my diet? Probably. But I'm telling myself that I'll give them away with bottles of wine as gifts. (If you receive a bottle of wine with no cookies then you'll know that these never made it out of my kitchen..sorry in advance).

 

Last time I made savory shortbread I couldn't wait to play around with different flavor combinations. I wanted to use this cheddar  because it's texture is so soft that it acts almost like butter in a recipe, and it's extra sharp flavor gives the shortbread a cheddary tang.

 

The cheese is paired with freshly chopped chives which add both flavor and a bit of colour. 

The recipe is simple: the butter and cheese are creamed together in one bowl. The flour, cornstarch, and pinch of salt are whisked together in another. Then the cheese mixture and the flour mixture are stirred together until a sticky dough is formed..

 

 

 

 .. which is then rolled out in a large ziplock bag until it fills 2/3rds of it evenly. This is my favorite method of rolling out shortbread dough: no dealing with dough sticking to the counter or the rolling pin, no messing around with parchment paper or trying to squeeze a crumbly log into a paper towel tube so it keeps it's shape. Just fill, roll, and pop in the freezer until firm.

 

 

Once the dough has chilled it gets cut into squares and placed on a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I placed a Parmesan petal on some of the shortbread and let other ones plain.

Then the cookies (should I be calling them crackers? Cheddar chive crackers?) bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until light golden on the bottom.

 

 

 

 

Allow the shortbread (crackers?) to cool completely before serving.. in fact, these are even better the second day because the chive and cheddar flavors have a chance to meld together nicely.

They're a great addition to a table of appetizers at a party or paired with a bottle of wine as a gift (if you don't eat them all...). 

 

Cheddar Chive Shortbread

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup Maclaren's Imperial Cheddar (I really recommend using this exact product because it needs to be soft and spreadable)

1 cup flour minus 2 TBSP

2 TBSP cornstarch

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1/8 tsp salt

1. Cream the butter and the cheese together until smooth and completely combined.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, chives, and salt

3. With the mixer on low add the flour mixture to the cheese mixture. Continue to mix on low until a dough starts to form and the flour is almost completely worked into the butter and cheese.

4. Put dough into a large ziplock bag and roll out until it is almost 2/3rds full. Transfer the bag to the freezer to chill until completely firm (about ten minutes)

5. Meanwhile: preheat the oven to 350

6.Once the dough is firm, remove it from the bag (you may need to cut it free) and slice the dough into squares. Place the squares on a greased or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet with 1/4 inch space between them.

7. Bake for 8-11 minutes until very light golden on the bottom. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

 

Comments

[lindsey]

where can I find MacLarens cheese?

[Amanda @ Once Upon a Recipe]

Oh goodness, these look divine. I have never tried making savory shortbread, but I think I need to change that. I love your idea of rolling the dough out in a Ziploc bag and then chilling it - so easy! Where did you buy the cheddar? Just at an average grocery store?

[Julie]

These look delicious, and I love your method of rolling out the dough in a bag. I usually hate messing with this type of dough because it can get so sticky. Definitely on my 'to try' list. Thanks for sharing!

[Eileen]

These look so good! Definitely a different shortbread for the holiday season. I don't think I've ever seen a cheddar cheese quite like that one either!

[Paula]

We love MacLaren's cheese. This shortbread of yours looks wonderful!

[Renee]

It's always good to balance the sweet with the savoury - these look like the hit of the party.

[Emily]

That is an amazingly beautiful rolling pin, where did you get it?

[A Canadian Foodie]

This is my kind of recipe! Did you like them better with the Parmesan or with out? Inquiring minds want to know! Seriously!
:)
V

[Bridget]

Ok I live in Massachusetts I cant seem to find this cheese any help?! Or is there something that may be similar?

[Stefanie @ Sarcastic Cooking]

Amazing! I love this. I want them right now with some great meats and cheeses, and wine.

[joan]

Yum and Yum. I love the use of the plastic bag. Thanks. :)

[Natalie]

These look incredible!

[Jessica]

Looks delicious! I wonder, could you try another spreadable cheese like a Boursin?

[Melissa@EyesBigger]

Your rolling tip is freaking genius... thank you! I avoid rolling stuff because I'm so lame at it and make a disastrous mess. Love the Maclarens cheese. I can totally see how it would be perfect for these (plus, they would never ever leave my house. I think it's pretty amazing you even think about giving them away!)

[natalie gomes]

Looks so good! Not sure I can find that exact cheese though.

[Needful Things]

I've never tried savory shortbread. I love your rolling pin! It's so pretty. I roll out my shortbread in a ziploc bag too - just makes life so much easier. I know you recommend mclarens cheese but I am pretty sure I can't find it where I'm located. I'm going to give these a go with whatever else I can find.

[Kelly Neil]

1. Am totally making these this weekend.
2. I have rolling pin envy.
3. Your tip about rolling the dough in the ziploc bag and then freezing is a game changer.
4. Yum.

[Erica]

I think you are a Calgarian, too? If you are, where did you find the cheese? Wanna make this for bf's Valentines since he hates sweets hehe
Thanks :D

[Brittany]

I didn't have time to get to a grocery store, so I used cream cheese in replacement of the imperial cheddar and then added half a cup of cheddar in with the chives. They were absolutely fabulous, they got devoured. Thank you for the fantastic recipe.

[Laurie C.]

I live in MA. Couldn't find your MacLaren's Imperial cheese, but I was able to find a similar product in the 'better' cheese case at my local grocery store called Presidential (Sharp Cheddar in a tub)- it's soft and spreadable. The texture of my crackers were a bit doughy, though. I would try the recipe again, but would add some grated cheddar or even finely grated parmesan to the mixture.
The 'rolling out in a bag' really helped!!
LPC