Cookies always seem to be sweet and shortbread is no exception. As I was dreaming up shortbread variations I wanted to try some less sweet or savory variations. So of course I went to Pinterest to see what was out there for savory cookie recipes. I noticed a lot of cheese added to cookies, herbs and spices. So I decided to give it a try and came up with a few cheesy shortbread variations including this cheddar and chive shortbread recipe. Depending on how cheesy you like your cookies, adjust the amount of cheese. The cheese does make the dough stickier but it’s worth it at the end!
PrintIngredients
- 1c flour
- 1/2 c cornstarch
- 1/2 c icing sugar
- 3/4 c butter
- 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
- 1/3 c – 1/2 c chopped fresh chives.
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp salt
Directions
- Cream together first four ingredients.
- Mix in cheddar cheese, chives and salt.
- Roll out into 1 inch balls
- Flatten with fork onto a cookie sheets.
- Chill in fridge for 30-60 minutes.
- Heat oven to 300F.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown around edges and bottom.
Notes:
Again, I’m not a cook and I’m sure there are many techniques to baking that would make the above recipes tastier. In any case, I hope you enjoy the cheddar and chive shortbread and of course the recipe too!
Some variations on the classic shortbread recipe involve adding in extra liquid. With those recipes I find you get a shortbread that spreads out more than usual. If you don’t want this then I suggest reducing the amount of butter a bit or increasing the dry ingredients a bit.
For the savory shortbreads I would suggest limiting the sugar content. I will keep working on the ratio of sweet to savory for those but the do smell wonderful when you take them out of the oven!
Tea Pairings:
Good question. Honestly, I think shortbread goes with anything! And tea goes with anything too! So, it’s a match made in heaven. I have tried different teas with each of the shortbread varieties with no particular pairing methodology behind the pairing. Each tea I have used can stand on its own.
Modifications:
OMG! There are so many modifications to the classic shortbread recipe which is from the Canada brand of corn starch. A picture of this shortbread recipe on the back of the Canada brand cornstarch box can be found in the figure below. I’m considering trying adding loose leaf tea leaves into the classic shortbread batter after it is creamed together. For example, Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Lavendar, any herbal tea. Once I have gone through the 12 days of shortbread I will include a list of recipes of shortbread variations for the future such as caramel, toffee, skor, sea salt, white chocolate macadamian nut, carrot cake, pumpkin spice, cranberry and pistachio. I’m also considering more savory variations using other types of cheese like brie, havarti, smoked cheeses, maybe even some cream cheeses.
References:
- 17 Incredibly Perfect Tea and Biscuit Combinations, Emma Cooke, March 2016, buzzfeed.com, URL: https://www.buzzfeed.com/emmacooke24/digestives-and-breakfast-tea-is-life
- The best tea and biscuit pairings, Niamh Ollerton, Nov 2016, lovefood.com, URL: https://www.lovefood.com/news/56428/tea-biscuit-pairings-breakfast-tea-chocolate-hobnob-earl-grey-ginger-nut
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