Looking for the perfect addition to your charcuterie board? These Rosemary Parmesan Savory Shortbreads are the ultimate upgrade from store-bought crackers. Unlike a thin, dry cracker, these are rich, buttery, and tender—just like a shortbread cookie, but savory! They come together in minutes in the food processor and are sturdy enough to hold any topping, yet soft enough to melt in your mouth.
Why You'll Love These Savory Shortbreads
- Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture: Unlike thin, snappy crackers, these are rolled ¼-inch thick for a tender, buttery bite that crumbles perfectly.
- Food Processor Easy: It’s a "dump and pulse" recipe. No kneading required!
- Customizable Shape: Use a classic 2-inch round cutter, cut them into squares, or use fun holiday shapes. They hold their shape beautifully in the oven.
What You Will Need:
- 1 ¼ cup of flour
- 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon of rosemary
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of black pepper
- 10 tablespoons of salt free butter at room temperature
Mixing the Savory Shortbread Dough
This couldn't be easier! Just place all of the ingredients into a food processor and combine! The dough will start to get moist and start to come together after a few minutes. Press the dough between your fingers to check. Refer to the video above to get an idea of how this works.
Next, turn the dough out onto a clean surface. Make sure to check for flour on the bottom of the food processor and just knead any excess into the dough. Wrap the dough into a piece of plastic wrap and roll into a one inch thick square and chill for 30 minutes. Other herbs can be used for the cracker recipe.
Rolling and Baking Your Shortbread Rounds
To roll the dough to roughly ¼ inch, I use two paint mixing sticks as a guide. The paint mixing sticks can be picked up at your local home improvement store or hardware store. Place the square dough in between two pieces of parchment paper, then place the mixing sticks or the dowels on the outside of the parchment paper and then roll. The dowels or sticks will guide the rolling pin to the set height. The video will give you an idea of how this all works.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Dough
- Use the "Dowel Trick": For perfectly even cookies, place ¼-inch square dowels (available at hardware stores) on either side of your dough as you roll. This guarantees every cracker is the exact same thickness.
- Don't Overwork It: Process the dough just until it holds together when pinched. If you over-process it, the crackers will be tough instead of tender.
- Any Shape Works: I typically use a 2-inch round cutter, but you can use whatever size you like! Just keep an eye on the baking time—smaller shapes may bake faster.
Bake the crackers for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F if you are rolling to ⅛ inch, and 13-15 minutes if you are rolling to ¼ inch. Let cool completely before serving or adding any toppings. The picture in this post has sour cream and a piece of smoked salmon on the round. Another great idea is a piece of ham from my spiced baked ham recipe. The ham, rosemary, and parmesan will be delicious!
Top them with a dollop of my Spicy Olive Tapenade for a huge flavor explosion.
Please visit my appetizer page for more ideas!
FAQ's:
This recipe is relatively quick, with about 20 minutes of prep time and 10-15 minutes of baking, plus 30 minutes of chilling time, for a total of about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
While you can technically make the dough by hand, a food processor is highly recommended as it makes the process incredibly easy and quick, ensuring the ingredients combine perfectly.
For even thickness, you can use guides when rolling. Two paint mixing sticks (for ⅛ inch thick) or ¼ inch square wooden dowels (for ¼ inch thick) placed on either side of the dough will guide your rolling pin perfectly.
The recipe calls for butter at room temperature. Using unsalted butter is generally recommended so you can control the saltiness with the added sea salt.
Yes, absolutely! While rosemary is fantastic, you can experiment with other dried herbs like thyme, oregano, or a blend of Italian herbs to make the rounds your own.
These savory rounds are perfect for appetizers! They go great with a variety of meats and cheeses, or you can top them with sour cream and smoked salmon, or even a piece of ham.
Recipe
Rosemary Parmesan Savory Shortbread (Easy 40-Min Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup of all purpose flour
- 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon of dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon of cracked pepper
- 10 tablespoons of butter at room temperature cut into 5 pieces
Method
- Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs and holds together when pinched.
- Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap and form it into a rough, flat disk (about ½ inch thick). Wrap tightly and chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut into your desired shapes (rounds, squares, etc.) and place 1 inch apart on the baking sheet and chill for 15-20 minutes before baking..
- Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes, rotating the baking tray midway through the baking time.
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