These Rosemary Parmesan Snowflake Cookies are the sophisticated little sibling of the holiday cookie tray, perfect for anyone who would rather nibble something savory than sweet. Buttery, crumbly, and fragrant with fresh rosemary and nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano, these savory snowflakes melt on your tongue like shortbread and finish with a crunch of flaky sea salt.

They come together in minutes in the food processor, and the dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months, so you can bake a batch whenever company drops by. Serve them alongside a cheese board, a glass of wine, or a festive cocktail, and watch them steal the show. Tucked into a pretty tin, they also make a thoughtful homemade gift that stays crisp for about 5 days.

Helpful Tips

Grate the cheese finely: Use the small holes of your grater or a microplane on a block of Parmesan. Pre-shredded cheese is drier and won’t blend into the dough nearly as smoothly.
Keep everything cold: Start with cold butter and pop the dough back in the fridge any time it starts to soften while you work. Freezing the cut cookies for 10 to 15 minutes before baking keeps those intricate snowflake points crisp and sharp.
Choose your thickness: Rolling to 1/4 inch gives you a sturdy, shortbread-style cookie. For a crisper, cracker-like bite, roll to 1/8 inch and shave a few minutes off the bake time.

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Rosemary Parmesan Snowflake Cookies

These Rosemary Parmesan Snowflake Cookies are the sophisticated little sibling of the holiday cookie tray, perfect for anyone who would rather nibble something savory than sweet.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 18

Chill Time 1

Total Time 1 38

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings Cookies

Calories 54 kcal

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
1/2 cup cold butter cubed
1 cup Parmesan cheese finely grated, about 3 oz, preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg divided into yolk and white
1-2 tablespoons ice water
flaky sea salt and chopped rosemary for topping

Instructions

In a food processor, pulse the flour, Parmesan, rosemary, pepper, garlic powder, and salt until combined. Add the cold butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Add the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of ice water, then pulse until the dough starts to clump. If it’s too crumbly to hold together when pinched, add the second tablespoon of water.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a flat disk, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Heat the oven to 350°F(175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a snowflake cookie cutter, dipping the cutter in flour between cuts. Re-roll the scraps as needed.
Transfer the cookies to the baking sheets, about 1 inch apart, and freeze for 10-15 minutes. This keeps the snowflake points sharp while they bake.
Brush lightly with the egg white, then sprinkle with flaky salt and a little rosemary.
Bake for 14-18 minutes, until the edges are golden and the centers look dry. Rotate the pans halfway through.
Let the cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They crisp up as they cool.

Notes

Grate the cheese finely. Pre-shredded Parmesan is drier and won’t blend into the dough as well.
Make sure the butter is cold, and then keep the dough as cold as possible while working. Refrigerate, if necessary to keep it cool.
Intricate snowflake cutters hold their shape best if you freeze the cut cookies before baking.
Thickness matters. 1/4 inch gives a sturdy, shortbread-style cookie. Roll thinner (1/8 inch) for a crisper cracker and shave a few minutes off the bake time.
The dough keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). Baked cookies stay crisp in an airtight container for about 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 54kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 83mgPotassium: 12mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.04gVitamin A: 109IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 0.3mg

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