Parmesan Shortbread Sandwich Cookies with Tomato Basil Cream Cheese

These delectable sandwiches are decidedly savory, made with a good aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (those crystals in the Parm season the dough and really bring the flavor) and filled with tomato and basil cream cheese. Serve them with cocktails, or as part of an afternoon tea spread to balance the sweeter treats. Look for jarred, roasted tomatoes at the supermarket. They’re more flavorful and less leathery than sun-dried tomatoes and meld better with cream cheese.

Makes at least 24 small sandwich cookies

Carla Bakes: Sweet, Savory, and from the Heart [A Baking Book] Carla Hall

INGREDENTS

PARMESAN SHORTBREAD

• 1 cup / 152g whole wheat flour

• 1⁄2 cup / 63g all-purpose flour

• One 6-ounce / 170g wedge aged Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated (1 1⁄2 cups)

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 12 tablespoons / 1 1⁄2 sticks / 170g cold unsalted butter

TOMATO BASIL CREAM CHEESE FILLING

• 1⁄4 cup / 54g jarred roasted tomatoes (not sun-dried), such as Divino or DeLallo, drained

• 8 ounces / 225g cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 12 fresh basil leaves, chopped

• 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Make-Ahead Tip: The dough, shaped into a rectangle and wrapped in plastic, can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before proceeding. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. The filling can be made in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

DIRECTIONS

1. Make the Parmesan shortbread: In a bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, Parm, thyme, lemon zest, and cayenne. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the cold butter into the bowl. Toss until all of the pieces are coated, then transfer the mixture to a food processor and pulse just until a nonsticky dough with visible flecks of butter starts to gather in clumps, 10 to 12 times.

2. Transfer to a large piece of plastic wrap. Press the dough into a 3 by 8-inch rectangle 1 inch thick, smoothing the top and sides so they are even. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (At this point, the dough also may be frozen for up to 2 months.)

3. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line three sheet pans with parchment paper.

4. Unwrap the rectangle of dough and cut it lengthwise into 3 rectangular logs 1 inch wide. Cut each log crosswise into 16 square-ish slices (about 1∕4 inch thick), laying them about 2 inches apart on the prepared pans.

5. Bake one sheet at a time until fragrant and deep golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the pan front to back halfway through.

6. Let cool on the pan for 3 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. (At this point, the cookies can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or up to 1 month in the freezer.)

7. Make the tomato basil cream cheese filling: In a food processor, pulse the tomatoes just until they are evenly chopped. Add the cream cheese and garlic and puree until smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the basil, salt, and pepper, and pulse until evenly distributed; the mixture should be an even pale-pink color with visible bits of green. Transfer to an airtight container to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.

8. When ready to assemble the sandwich cookies, lay half of the cooled cookies bottom-side up. Dollop about 3∕4 teaspoon of the tomato basil cream cheese filling onto the center of each one, then top with one of the remaining cookies, bottom-side down. (If you have leftover filling, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use it in sandwiches or to spread on toast.) Let the sandwich cookie filling set for about 1 hour before serving, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

“Reprinted with permission from Carla Bakes: Sweet, Savory, and from the Heart by Carla Hall with Lauren Chattman, copyright © 2026. Published by 4 Color Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House.”

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