Savory Shortbread Cookies With Olives and Rosemary

Published Nov. 30, 2022

Savory Shortbread Cookies With Olives and Rosemary
Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich. Prop Stylist: Christina Lane.
Total Time
45 minutes, plus chilling
Rating
4(1,007)
Comments
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An unusual combination for a cookie, the flavors in this shortbread will appeal to those who appreciate a little pop of savory in their sweets. The olives used here are fruity kalamata, which when surrounded by a buttery shortbread crust and baked, become like little jewels studding each cookie. Rosemary and lemon balance the robust flavors of the olives by adding refreshing pine and citrus notes. Your cookie dough can be made ahead of time, rolled into logs and kept refrigerated or frozen. Slice and bake while cold, or from frozen, to serve. 

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Ingredients

Yield:24 cookies
  • 2cups/260 grams all-purpose flour
  • ¾cup/145 grams granulated sugar
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 2teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1lemon
  • ½cup/115 grams cold, unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • ½cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
  • 6tablespoons/88 milliliters heavy cream
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)

114 calories; 6 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 62 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and rosemary. Zest the lemon into the bowl, add the butter and rub the pieces into the flour mixture using your fingers until small pebbles form. (Alternatively, use a food processor to pulse the dry ingredients with the butter.)

  2. Step 2

    Add the chopped olives, tossing to coat with the flour mixture. Pour the cream over the mixture, stir just until combined and squeeze until the dough comes together in a clump. Divide the dough in two equal 9-inch logs. Wrap each log firmly in a strip of parchment paper and twist the ends shut. Refrigerate until the dough is firm enough to slice, about 30 minutes and up to 3 days.

  3. Step 3

    Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Slice each log into ½-inch rounds. Lay the rounds on the prepared baking sheet, spacing at least ½ inch apart.

  4. Step 4

    Bake until the cookies are golden at the bottom edges, about 22 minutes, rotating once halfway through baking. Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The baked cookies can also be stored frozen in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,007 user ratings
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Comments

Made this according to the recipe (reducing the sugar as others suggested) and it was just kind of...ok. Next time, I'll use this recipe as a platform, but (1) eliminate the sugar and (2) add 1/2 c parmesan, 2 teaspoons of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. And serve with a creamy blue cheese.

Do bear in mind these are more a dessert than a cocktail cracker. Unusual and delicious. In NM I had to add an extra tbls. and 1/2 of cream to get the dough to come together.

These are delicious! I modified to be vegan friendly by substituting a plant-based "butter" for the real thing and full-fat coconut milk for the cream.

These were wonderful. I served them on the wine bar at my New Year's Day party. My olive loving friends loved them, and some of my olive-hating family thought they were pretty good too.

I was sooo looking forward to this recipe but I wasn’t WOW’d. Notes for next time would be to use larger olive chunks and less cream — I used the required amount but apparently did not need it. They are beautiful though and the olive, lemon, rosemary combo is nice.

Definitely more sweet but with a unique twist. Made some tweaks but these are one of my newest favourites! I used half the sugar, 1cup white flour, 1 cup whole wheat and I used full fat coconut milk. Might try to bump up lemon zest and rosemary next time. But a really unique treat and worth making!

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