Smoky, Cheesy Cookies

From legendary baker Dorie Greenspan's book, Dorie's Cookies (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016), this savory cookie is perfect for parties, partnering up with soup or munching with a glass of wine. They're easy to make and the dough can be frozen, so it's ready to bake any time.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 16 mins
• Total Time: 46 mins
• Calories: 45 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• ¾ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
• 4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, cut into tiny cubes
• 2 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Step 2

Combine butter, Gouda cheese, Cheddar cheese, sea salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a food processor; pulse until butter is in bits and the mixture forms small curds. Add flour; pulse until dough looks moist and forms large popcorn-sized curds.

Step 3

Turn dough out onto a flat surface; knead gently just until it comes together and you can shape it into a ball. Divide into 2 pieces. Pat each piece into a disk.

Step 4

Place 1 disk between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Roll to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Repeat with second disk. Stack sheets of dough on a baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

Step 5

Peel parchment paper off 1 sheet of frozen dough. Cut into cookies using a 1 1/2-inch-diameter cutter; arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the second sheet of dough.

Step 6

Bake cookies in the preheated oven until lightly golden on the bottom, about 9 minutes. Rotate baking sheet. Continue baking until bottoms are golden brown and tops are lightly golden, about 5 minutes more. Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Step 7

Gather dough scraps, roll to a thickness of 1/4-inch, and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Cut into cookies and bake.