Butter, flour and parmesan. That’s all you need to make buttery parmesan shortbread biscuits. And you’ll be amazed how fast these are to make – no cookie cutter required! Watch the 15 second video here to see how easy these are to make!
PARMESAN BISCUITS
My mother makes these incredible parmesan biscuits that I frequently beg her to make. Until recently, I had no idea they were made with just 3 ingredients: butter, flour and parmesan. Nor that they took all of 2 minutes to make the dough.
“Why didn’t you tell me before?!” I exclaimed. “If I’d known they were that easy, I would have been making them myself!”
“I don’t know,” she said calmly. “I just never thought of it. They aren’t that special.”
“Aren’t that special?” I gasped, flabbergasted. “These are my favourite biscuits.”
“That’s so typical of you,” she said. “Just because it’s got cheese in it.”
OK, well that’s true. I couldn’t argue with that. And of course, having discovered they were made with only 3 ingredients, I declared them to be so fabulous that I had to share them on my blog.
These biscuits are savoury shortbread biscuits, which means they are buttery and crumbly, just like the sweet ones.
Except these are cheesy. Parmesan cheesy.
You barely need the recipe for this. Butter, flour and parmesan, whizz until crumbs form, form a log, wrap in cling wrap, refrigerate, slice, bake for 12 minutes.
3 ingredient magic. That’s what this is. Honestly, these exact biscuits are sold in a certain up market grocery store in Sydney (which shall remain unnamed!) for close to $10. And you get less than one batch of this!
I have 2 words of caution about these:
1. Making as a gift: If you make these with the intention of gifting them, please just make a double batch. Don’t kid yourself into believing that you won’t “taste test” so many that you end up with a dismal scant pile for your friend, so small that you can’t possibly give that as a gift so you end up doing an emergency present run énroute to the birthday lunch; and
2. To nibble with wine: These are brilliant to have as nibbles. But they go a little too well with wine. What happens is that that the cheesy buttery biscuits make you thirsty, so you drink more, and the more you drink the more you nibble. An endless viscous cycle. So as with #1, just make a double batch. 🙂
OK, so #1 may have happened to me last weekend. And come to think of it, #2 as well. Oops.
Happy weekend! – Nagi x
PS Please do not count the biscuits in the photos below. I can tell you now, there are 5 missing!!!
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Parmesan Shortbread Biscuits
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz / 100g salted butter , chopped (Note 1)
- 3.5 oz / 100g parmesan cheese , grated (Note 2)
- 3.3 oz / 95g plain flour
For rosemary flavoured biscuits
- 1 tbsp rosemary leaves , roughly chopped (or 2 1/2 tsp dried rosemary)
Instructions
Two Ways To Make The Dough
- Process the butter, flour and parmesan in a food processor until a wet crumbly dough; OR
- Alternative method: Place the flour and butter into a bowl and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour until a crumble dough forms. Then add the parmesan cheese and use your fingers to rub it into the mixture.
- If you are making rosemary biscuits, add the rosemary at the same time as the parmesan cheese.
Make the biscuits
- Lightly flour a surface and turn the dough out onto it. Knead to bring together, then shape into two logs with a diameter of around 3 cm / 1.2" and about 15cm/6" in length.
- Wrap with cling wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. (Note 2)
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350F. Line 1 large baking tray or 2 ordinary baking trays with baking paper (parchment paper).
- Remove the log from the fridge and use a sharp knife to cut the log into 7mm/ 1/3" thick rounds.
- Place the biscuits onto the baking tray at least 2cm / 1" apart.
- Bake biscuits for 12 minutes or until light golden.
- Stand on trays for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Hi Nagi! I made these for our Easter Antipasto lunch and let me tell you, I have now been told by the family never to enter into anyone’s house without a plate full of these! I made 2 batches of the rosemary and also 2 batches of Parmesan and fresh chilli and I swear they almost disappeared before we officially sat down for lunch!! Thanks for an easy recipe that I can do in no time at all ?
Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed it Linda!! I’m SO GLAD you liked it! And you know, I think that’s a GREAT RULE!!! I want to make that rule for my mother – she is not allowed to come over without a freshly made batch of these for me!!! 🙂 N x
Hi there!was wondering, what if I dont have a food processor, what can I use?
Hi there! Just use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour 🙂 If you have a quick read of step 2, it explains how to do this!
Your mom is a hoot! “…because it has cheese in it.” Ha, sassy indeed! Love your rosemary addition, perfect.
She is seriously CHEEKY!!!!
Madam i have tried in home taste is good but after two days it is so brittle, to become soft what i do??
Hi there! This become brittle after 2 days???
I would definitely make the rosemary version. Parmesan + rosemary is such an amazing combo! These biscuits look absolutely delicious, I’m sure I would devour the whole batch hahaha
I totally agree Marie!! N x
Okay, I’ve decided it’s all your fault if I gain 10 pounds snacking on these gems! Who can stop at just one. I made it in the ‘purist’ fashion with just three ingredients (Snarf!) and now I’m wondering what other herbs might do to enhance them further … rosemary (as you suggest), dill, chives, etc. Thanks for another gastronomic treat!
Try tarragon and just a hint of nutmeg…awesome together!
Ooh, I love that flavour combo!
BA HA HA! They ARE a health hazard, aren’t they?? Insanely addictive! When will someone invent zero calorie butter????
A savory shortbread with cheese, I am sold! Amazing what flour and butter can do together. They look amazing Nagi!
I know right, Evelyne?? 🙂
Hi Nagi – you just love that Cuisinart mini-prep food processor don’t you?!
I spied it in your Chicken Salad with Avocado Dressing a couple of weeks ago too.
I love mine too – great for pesto!
Roger
🙂 x
I am obsessed with mine!!! The variety of things I use it for is extensive!!! Curry pastes, gremolatas, grating chocolate and parmesan, crushing nuts – stop me, I will go on and on forever! 🙂
When I make biscuits like these that are what I call ‘fridge rolls’, I like to wrap the mixture in a freezer bag and then place in a discarded foil or baking paper cardboard roll and then refrigerate or freeze. The only problem I see is the small size. The other ‘frame’ I use is a baguette bread tin to give a good shape for larger rolls
Try using gift wrap cardboard rolls…many of them are larger so if you want the biscuits larger, that would be a good size.
Love that tip Wanda! N x
I KNOW! I wish they were bigger too 🙂 I tried to make choc chip cookies bigger once using “fridge rolls” but found it a big difficult to cut neatly 🙂 Hope you had a fab weekend Maz! N x
I had this irresistible urge to grab out to the screen and pick these shortbreads up. They look delicious and your blog is lovely.
Don’t break your screen Bhavna!!!! 😉
They are a good bikkie aren’t they./ your Mum is funny!
She is SASSY!!!
What a great addition to a cheese board these wood make. Picturing it my head now. Looks perfect. Going to make these for poker night…they will be a hit.
Oh boy YES!!! Perfect for a cheese board!!! N x PS I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on poker if these were present!!!!
These look so good and sooo addictive! I can just imagine how good they’d be with Champagne!
I’ve made something similar before, but rolled the dough out and cut them into star shapes. I bet this would be much faster and easier! Love it 🙂
Star shapes are fancier! 🙂 Think you just gave me an idea for Christmas presents!!!
I make a very similar version of these myself.
People love them and think I’m very clever, but they are just so simple to make. And so delicious!
Oh but you ARE so clever Amanda!!! 😉 N x
Hey Nagi! I love these biscuits, look so elegant although simple to make. I love your clicks and food styling 🙂
Awww, thank you Muna you are so sweet! N x
You absolutely crack me up! I love your sense of humor! I am running out to the store today to make these!!! Thanks so much for all your amazing recipes!!!!
Ooooh, hope you love them Nancy!!! N x
I LOVE parmesan and herbed sables like these Nagi! And 3 ingredients too? So good!
I know, right?? Though in hindsight I should not have been surprised given a basic shortbread is only 3 ingredients too!! 🙂
The last time I tried out this, it was a disaster. Guess my technique was wrong; so definitely trying out your version this time.
I am guessing the ingredient ratios were quite out? I actually find this recipe rather forgiving which is why I found it came out the same whether I used Australian or US cups. I think the key is weighing the parmesan rather than using cups because the volume of fresh grated parmesan is about 3 times that of store bought grated parmesan. That makes a HUGE difference to the recipe – both in flavour and how to dough holds together!
I make the these with lemon thyme leaves. The lemon and Parmesan is amazing.
No, lemon thyme is one I have not tried! I must try it – you’re right, lemon and parmesan is a brilliant flavour combo! 🙂
O M G…………………….can’t wait to make these. Can it be more simple? Thanks Nagi, I’m so excited.
I hope you do try them Norma!!! I am in LOVE with these!!! N x