Set out these buttery savory herb shortbread crackers at the cocktail hour for an elegant alternative to chips. I’ve included a pretty customizable menu and place cards to help you set the theme for a brunch or afternoon tea.
These herby shortbread crackers are based on my Asiago Lemon Thyme Shortbread
That shortbread recipe was published way back in 2011 ~ wow, has it been that long?? That was based on an Ina Garten recipe, and I’ve always loved the concept. Shortbread is one of my favorite things to eat, and granted I mostly go the sweet route, but every now and then I crave these cheesy biscuits, they go great with a chilled glass of wine.
We’re trying something new and fun today, so in addition to my recipe, I’m including downloadable printables for your next spring brunch or gathering. The menu is customizable so you can print them out with your own fabulous line up. Place cards, too! You’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader (it’s free) to fill in your menu and print. Instructions below.
Fresh rosemary is rolled right into my shortbread dough for a fabulous herby flavor
I used rosemary from the overgrown bush just outside my front door, it thrives in the California heat and provides me with an endless supply. The stalks are long and sturdy enough to use as skewers for my Rosemary Chicken Skewers, but for this savory shortbread recipe I snip the tender tips. I process them right into the dough which gets infused with that wonderful piney flavor.
Herb shortbread can be changed up in lots of ways
You can have endless fun with this concept. Use thyme or sage instead of rosemary (be sure it’s fresh!) and roll more fresh herbs right onto the top of your dough before cutting. The laminated herbs will cook right into the crackers.
How to serve savory shortbread crackers
These savory shortbread crackers are substantial enough to be served on their own so they make a super easy starter with some nice white wine. You don’t really need to add cheese because it’s baked right in!
I suggest a dry Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, but go with what you love.
Tips for making savory herb shortbread ~
- Butter should be at room temperature, I leave it out overnight.
- Measure your flour using the fluff, scoop, and level method for accuracy.
- Use fresh rosemary, dried won’t be nearly as fragrant. Remove the leaves from the stems and give them an initial chop before adding to the processor.
- Process the dough in your food processor just until it comes together in a lump. This should happen in 30 seconds to a minute. You can do this by hand, just be sure to get the dough thoroughly mixed and all the flour hydrated by the butter so it isn’t crumbly.
- Depending on the moisture content of your butter and cheese, you may need to add a tiny bit of water to your dough to bring it together. Start with 1/2 tsp and go from there.
- If you are going to laminate fresh herbs on your crackers I found that some worked better than others. Parsley, sage, lavender, and thyme worked well for me. Parsley kept its green color the best of all.
- I bake my shortbread so that it has a soft texture, like a shortbread cookie. If you’d prefer a crisper texture, cut them a little thinner and bake a little longer.
Rosemary Parmesan Shortbread
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2 Tbsp finely minced rosemary leaves plus extra whole leaves for the tops of the crackers (If you like you can mince the rosemary right in the food processor first)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- extra whole leaf herbs for laminating onto the dough
Instructions
- Put the flour, cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Add the chunks of soft butter and pulse about 30 times to combine into a crumbly mixture. The process until the dough comes together, this should not take longer than 30 seconds to a minute. If the dough does not come together, add a tiny bit of water to the bowl, start with 1/2 tsp, and process again.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and bring together into a smooth flat disk, just like you do with pie crust dough. The dough should be smooth and uniform, without dry floury parts. Knead it with your hands if necessary. Wrap the disk in the plastic and refrigerate for an hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Roll out the dough to about 1/4 to 1/8 thickness. I do this between two sheets of waxed paper and it works like a charm, no sticking. If you want to laminate herbs onto the surface of the dough, lay them out onto the dough, leaving space between. Put the waxed paper back over the top and lightly roll with your rolling pin to press the herbs right into the dough. Use a 2 inch round cookie cutter to cut out your circles. Remove the dough to a baking sheet. Reform the leftover dough, roll and repeat until all the dough is used.
- Bake the shortbread for 10-15 minutes, until they are just starting to turn pale golden around the edges. Cool for a few minutes on the pan, then remove to a rack. The shortbread will firm up as it cools.
- Make it ahead ~ you can make the crackers up to a couple of days ahead of time, or freeze the dough.
- Make it easy ~ if you don't care about the herbs laminated on top of the crackers you can roll the dough into a log and slice and bake.
- Make it pretty ~ use edible flowers in place of the herbs ~ try spicy marigold petals.
- Make it with different herbs ~ I think thyme or sage would be fabulous.
- Make it with different cheese ~ other hard aged Italian cheeses like Asiago, Romano, or Grana Padano would work too.
The menu pdf file is fillable with your own text if you open it using Adobe Reader (see instructions below), while the place-cards simply have a blank space for you to fill in your guest’s names by hand. Of course you could also print out a blank menu and fill it in by hand, as well, if you were just going to display one copy on a counter or a buffet, for example.
Simply click on the links below to download your free copy of either the printable menus or place-cards!
To use the fillable option on the menus, follow these steps:
- Download Adobe Reader if you don’t already have it (it’s free.)
- Open the menu file in Adobe Reader, and fill in the text boxes with your menu items.
- To print either file, make sure your print settings are set to “scale” at 100%.
- Cut out your menus or place-cards along the lines indicated at the corners using scissors or a paper-cutter.
Happy spring entertaining!
96 Comments
Tom
December 21, 2020 at 2:09 pmSue
I made the “Fruitcake Short Breads”, but instead of the rum extract I used Fiori de Siclia and they taste like Panettone. The savory concept is tempting for use at wine tastings. I plan on using the basic recipe and “playing with it
Sue
December 21, 2020 at 3:09 pmOh gosh, I’m so curious to taste the cookies with fiori de sicilia, I don’t have any and I think I’ll order some on Amazon now, I need to taste that!
Melissa
December 20, 2020 at 3:33 pmI want to try the lavender flavor but wonder if I would use the same amount as the rosemary? Lavender can be quite strong so I don’t want to overdo it!
Sue
December 20, 2020 at 4:01 pmI would definitely reduce the amount, but I love the idea of using lavender. Be sure you have food grade lavender, and I would start with maybe 1 tablespoon.
Joni
September 5, 2020 at 8:28 amThese were delicious! The only changes I made were: I added about 1 TBSP of granulated sugar to cut the sharpness of the parmesan and I used a mix of parsley, sage and thyme in the dough. Thanks for a wonderful and very versatile recipe – I will be making these again for sure!
Marwa
September 3, 2020 at 9:57 amHello! Thank you for the recipe.
I would like to make it two days before for a party. Can I Make it ahead and leave the dough in the fridge for a couple of days? Or do you advise me to bake and freeze? Thanks a lot!
Sue
September 4, 2020 at 6:48 amYou can definitely keep the dough in the fridge. I do it all the time.
LoneStarGatherings.com
August 15, 2020 at 3:12 pmI made these as an appetizer to go with the martinis that kicked off my dinner party, so I left out the extra herbs on top. However, when I make them again I will add the herbs and serve them with a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris. They are so delicate and flavorful. The guests raved! Delish! Thank you for the post.
Sandra
July 8, 2020 at 8:08 amWow! these look SO delicious and attractive. My herb garden is at it’s peak and I can’t wait to try these. Thanks for posting 🙂 Sandra
Emily leberman
June 24, 2020 at 8:41 amI have never cooked with Almond Flour, but my boyfriend has recently started Keto.. thoughts on subbing All Purpose Flour for Almond. Would that also work?
Sue
June 24, 2020 at 9:36 amAlmond flour would make the cookies too delicate, I’m afraid, Emily. You might look up a cookie recipe specifically using almond flour and then see if you can top with the herbs.
Nan Zingrone
June 24, 2020 at 1:59 pmI make Keto shortbread with a combination of almond flour and coconut flour. They hold up very well as thin cookies. I think that would work. I’m saving this receipt to try.
Flora
June 26, 2020 at 8:51 amHi there Sue! I love this recipe and your pictures are beautiful. Would you mind if I shared the recipe on my Instagram page? I will credit you for the image and recipe however you’d prefer.
Mary Beth Carr
May 28, 2020 at 11:17 amDelicious! I made these and your Pansy Topped Shortbread cookies yesterday. So pretty! Great way to start the summer baking season!
MIchelle
December 29, 2019 at 11:04 amCan you freeze the actual cracker?
Sue
December 29, 2019 at 11:14 amYes, shortbread freezes really well, and I had no trouble with the herbs on top.
Cindy
November 3, 2019 at 11:01 amThese savory shortbread biscuits are delicious! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe ?.
I could eat them all in one sitting..they almost melt in your mouth! They will be a great accompaniment to potato and leek soup!
Sue
November 3, 2019 at 7:34 pmThanks Cindy!
Cheryl
October 22, 2019 at 10:00 amThese crackers are so delicious and easy to make. My guests were impressed.
Barbara Rosenblum
October 17, 2019 at 6:36 pmI froze the cut out cracker dough. Do you bake them frozen or defrost them first?
Sue
October 17, 2019 at 7:37 pmYou can leave them out for a bit to soften, but they don’t have to be completely thawed.
Connie Moczygemba
August 7, 2019 at 12:02 pmThese look beautiful and sound delicious. I will be baking these soon.
I was wondering if they can be kept at room temperature after baking or does the cheese content require refrigeration.
Sue
August 7, 2019 at 1:14 pmI keep my shortbread cookies at room temperature for several days, Connie.
Claudia Clarke
August 1, 2019 at 6:33 pmWhat a fantastic and savory recipe. As soon as I get some unsalted butter and take clippings from my rosemary plant I’ll be in business! Thank you so much ?
Claudia Clarke
August 1, 2019 at 6:36 pmThank you so much!!! Not with a question mark. Duh!
Feryall
June 23, 2019 at 8:49 pmI am so excited to try these savory herb shortbread that i asked my hubby to get me mixed herbs from the grocery store today! I love savory shortbread! In the city of Bangalore in India, there is a well-known bakery that makes “khara biscuits”, which uses finely chopped seeded green chili and finely chopped cilantro mixed right into the dough. The chili gives almost no heat, but does give a lovely aroma. In Bangladesh, they make a salty shortbread with only nigella mixed with the dough. This biscuit (cookies are called biscuits abroad) is ubiquitous in every person’s home, even in the backwater villages, and served with tea for sudden drop-in guests. The nigella shortbread are unforgettable.
Eloisa
March 21, 2019 at 6:43 amHi. Can these cookies be frozen?
Sue
March 21, 2019 at 7:48 amShortbread freezes well Eloisa, but I’m not sure the pressed herbs would do so well. If you’re making them with the herbs chopped, like the rosemary, they would freeze better.
Hanna Sigmon
March 20, 2019 at 8:44 amSafe to assume all purpose flour is used in this recipe?
Sue
March 20, 2019 at 12:00 pmYes, that’s right!
idalina
January 12, 2019 at 6:15 pmyou recipes look so good.iam in australia and i love Ina Garten,s recipes
Preet
December 27, 2018 at 1:13 pmDo you suggest a dip to go with it ?
Sue
December 27, 2018 at 2:28 pmI don’t really recommend serving these with a dip Preet, they do better on their own.
Sarah
December 18, 2018 at 7:33 amIs it possible to replace butter for olive oil?
Sue
December 18, 2018 at 8:00 amNo, sorry Sarah, shortbread needs to be made with butter.
Vaidehi Patel
December 1, 2018 at 9:37 amVery easy and beautiful. However mine puffed up in the oven and can’t figure out why. Any advise?
Sue
December 1, 2018 at 9:48 amSome of mine puffed slightly. Try chilling the crackers before baking, that should help with the puffing.
Christine
November 8, 2018 at 11:51 amAny suggestions on how to mailing these if we’re making them as a gift for the holidays?
Sue
November 8, 2018 at 11:58 amShortbread is delicate, so I would definitely make sure they don’t have any opportunity to shift or move in their packaging, Christine.
Sondra
November 5, 2018 at 12:39 pmCan you use gluten free flour?
Sue
November 5, 2018 at 2:26 pmI have made shortbread with gluten free flour before, and it works, but the texture is definitely different.
Sabiha
November 1, 2018 at 1:35 pmCan this recipe work without cheese?
Sue
November 1, 2018 at 4:18 pmI haven’t tried it without the cheese Sabiha, so not sure.
Amy
October 26, 2018 at 9:11 pmThese look wonderful! Can they be baked in a 8×8 or 9×13 and scored before baking so they come apart into crackers easily? Also for the person who asked about GF, I regularly use almond flour (1:1 ratio with white flour) or combo almond/coconut flour and my shortbread comes out beautifully each time. I also incorporate coconut palm sugar to make it lower glycemic for those with blood sugar isssues. The color is a little darker at times but people have a hard time telling that it’s anything but my traditional shortbread. Love your recipes!
Sue
October 27, 2018 at 8:41 amThanks for the input Amy, and as for the pan, I haven’t baked these flat like that, but I have baked shortbread in my 8×8 pan and like the result.
SDW
August 23, 2018 at 4:12 amHi! Can I leave out the cheese entirely or will that skew the ratios of the other ingredients? Will substituting lemon zest work? Thanks!
LUCYNA
August 19, 2018 at 6:52 amCZY LISTKI NA WIERZCHU SI? NIE PRZYPALAJ? , CO ZROBI? BY SI? PRZYKLEI?Y I NIE ODPAD?Y PO UPIECZENIU ?
CO ZNACZY LAMINOWA? ?
Pat Tarlton
August 18, 2018 at 7:41 pmDo you grease the cookie sheet or is there enough butter in the dough ?
Sue
August 18, 2018 at 7:52 pmI like to use parchment paper with shortbread so it doesn’t get too dark on the bottom, but you won’t need to grease your pans.
Jonathan Stiers
August 16, 2018 at 7:50 amI love this! So cute! 🙂
Vanessa
August 15, 2018 at 11:25 amThanks for sharing! Do they keep long?
Sue
August 15, 2018 at 11:43 amThey’ll keep about a week, Vanessa.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
June 8, 2018 at 8:01 amI love your answer to Jemma about using the template to print the recipe if giving as a gift. 🙂
Sue
June 8, 2018 at 8:11 amWe’re going to be offering that very thing for our next printable, Karen, stay tuned!
Shahedah
June 4, 2018 at 5:09 amThese look amazing!! I can’t wait to try! Can these also be made using the log-chill-slice method, or is there a reason (other than the herb-laminating) you roll it out flat and use cutters?
Sue
June 4, 2018 at 6:56 amNo, you can roll the dough into a log and slice and bake, I do that with many of my shortbread cookies, and it works great with savory shortbread too.
Shahedah
June 4, 2018 at 3:20 pmExcellent! Thanks 🙂 I’ve seen you do it with others so thought that would be the case!
Sue
June 4, 2018 at 4:52 pmJust be sure to slice them on the thinner side, I think the savory ones taste better that way.
Barbara
June 2, 2018 at 3:46 pmIs there any way to convert to gluten-free? These look so good, but I have to eat gluten free.
Sue
June 2, 2018 at 3:53 pmI haven’t tried a gluten free version with these Barbara, maybe another reader will chime in on this.
Heather
December 15, 2018 at 12:45 pmI have had excellent results with the King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Everything I’ve tried has worked, including cut-out sugar cookies, the one thing I had given up because it was such a disaster with other GF flours. That’s what I’ll be using when I try this recipe.
Sue
December 15, 2018 at 12:49 pmI agree, I’ve had good results with that and also the Costco gf blend. I think Bob’s Red Mill makes a good one too.
Kris
May 24, 2018 at 12:28 pmThese are gorgeous! Can they be made without a food processor?
Sue
May 24, 2018 at 2:12 pmSure, you can make shortbread by hand, just cut in the butter really well, and blend and blend! The rosemary can be finely mined by hand, too.
Karen
May 16, 2018 at 10:45 amOvergrown rosemary bush by the back door – sigh! I’m always floored by the abundance of herbs just growing wild and crazy when I visit the west coast. I’ll have to make do with my little container herb garden to make these beautiful crackers. Great work!
Sue
May 16, 2018 at 10:56 amOh sorry to make you jealous, Karen, I’m super jealous of people who get actual ‘weather’, like rain and snow, so it evens out!
Julie
November 14, 2019 at 11:33 amTo avoid breaking a large branch and possibly lose half or all of the shrub, we gave ours a big haircut and obtained many fresh new shoots.
Laura | Tutti Dolci
May 15, 2018 at 11:07 pmI love savory shortbread and these are the prettiest with all the lovely herbs!
Martha in KS
May 14, 2018 at 4:57 pmMy cousin Glenda is on the Herb Committee of the Master Gardeners in Las Vegas. I’m sending this recipe to her – I’m sure she’ll be excited to try it. Thanks!
Sue
May 14, 2018 at 5:50 pmWow, what fun, I hope she likes it 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen
May 13, 2018 at 6:23 pmThese crackers are just beautiful Sue! And I bet they taste amazing! I love the printable too! Thanks so much for sharing!
2pots2cook
May 12, 2018 at 1:01 amSue, this is wonderful ! I have all the herbs on my balcony ……. just looking at them ……. will do definitely !
Sue
May 12, 2018 at 9:38 amIsn’t it wonderful to have fresh herbs so handy?
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
May 11, 2018 at 5:30 pmSo pretty and no doubt delicious! Love the printable, too 🙂 Happy Mother’s Day!
Mary
May 11, 2018 at 1:35 pmThis is a champion idea and can be made so pretty or not as desired. Would be lovely with just the right cheese or pate. Must away to the kitchen and I can enjoy them tomorrow for Mother’s Day!!
RMB
May 11, 2018 at 11:08 amSure would appreciate being able to print recipes without the photo, which uses a lot of ink. Other blogs allow an option to uncheck photo and/or nutritional info prior to printing. Yet others simply print recipe without ink guzzling photos included. Thanks for your consideration!
Sue
May 11, 2018 at 11:23 amOh sorry RMB, I don’t think my recipe plugin has that option but I’ll check into it today for you.
Lynn
June 22, 2020 at 10:50 amI copy and paste the recipe onto Word then I delete the pics, make the printing smaller and bold it all
Marlene Bellamy
May 11, 2018 at 5:19 pmMaybe print in black and white? Or copy recipe text into a Word document.
Nancy May
May 12, 2018 at 1:05 pmCopy and paste into a Word document or pdf and then you can do whatever you want to them. I keep one photo but reduce it down to postage stamp size. Then I can print with or without the photo! Easy peasy!
thewimpyvegetarian
May 11, 2018 at 10:46 amI adore savory shortbreads using herbs! I haven’t made them in years, and now after seeing your photos, that’s all I want to make right now. Perfect dessert after a spring brunch, or for gifts!
Lynn A
May 11, 2018 at 9:50 amOh, these look wonderful!! I want to make them and serve them with roasted red pepper bisque for a light, but elegant girls lunch!!
Sue
May 11, 2018 at 10:10 amPerfect for a girls lunch 🙂
Ange
May 22, 2020 at 1:15 amHello,am just browsing this recipe n will try real soon. Just a quick question for the butter it’s said 1stick 1/2cup butter, isn’t it the same measure 1stick=1/2cup? So does it mean using 2sticks? Coz I’m relying on measurement convertion.
Sue
May 22, 2020 at 6:15 amYes, it’s 1/2 cup or 1 stick, I clarified that in the recipe. Hope you enjoy these Ange.
Julie
May 11, 2018 at 9:45 amWhat a pretty dish with so many flavors in it.
jemma
May 11, 2018 at 9:44 amThese are so beautiful and would make fantastic gifts to take around to freinds and family.
Sue
May 11, 2018 at 9:56 amYou’re right, and you could even use the little place cards as labels, or write up the recipe on the menu template!
.
Trang
May 11, 2018 at 8:41 amOh my goodness!! These are absolutely gorgeous. I love sweet shortbread but I’ll make these even just to look at them, so so pretty! They’re so great for parties or party favors!
georgie
May 11, 2018 at 8:32 amthese are absolutely stunning!!! i love how you pressed the herbs in, they look so fancy!!! this is such a cool idea!
Kavita Favelle
May 11, 2018 at 8:19 amThese are gorgeous and since we have lots of herbs growing in our back garden, would be a lovely way to incorporate them into our baking. They look super pretty and bet they taste great.
Chris Scheuer
May 11, 2018 at 8:16 amSo fun, so pretty, so unique! I can’t wait to try these. I already love everything about them!
Kate Crawley
May 11, 2018 at 8:09 amLove these shortbreads, Sue! I’ve been meaning to say how great your new photo is too!
Sue
May 11, 2018 at 8:12 amThanks Kate <3
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert
May 11, 2018 at 4:00 amWell now … aren’t these absolutely brilliant!? Another amazing and beautiful way to entertain – and no doubt delicious! Sharing and pinning Sue – and happy Mother’s Day!
[email protected]'s Recipes
May 11, 2018 at 3:37 amHow pretty! Shortbread cookies are my absolute favourite, Sue.