Rosemary Blue Cheese Savories

My friend Sara shared this recipe with me when she saw my post for savories with rosemary and Italian cheeses. I used crumbled domestic blue cheese, pecans, and cranberries. These were delicious with a mixed green salad.

Rosemary Blue Cheese Savories
Makes 48 cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces blue cheese, softened
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 tablespoon granulated or coarse sanding sugar (optional)

Whisk together flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Cream together blue cheese and butter with an electric mixer, set at high speed. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture to butter and cheese mixture; beat to combine. Add cranberries and mix on low just until evenly dispersed.

Divide the dough into two pieces and use parchment paper or plastic wrap to form the dough into two 1 1/2-inch diameter round or square logs. Set out two fresh pieces of plastic wrap and sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly over both. Roll the logs of dough in nuts until covered. Tightly wrap and seal the logs; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours).

Preheat oven to 325F. Working with one log at a time, unwrap and slice logs into 1/4-inch discs. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Gently press about 3 small rosemary leaves on each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with sugar.

Bake on a middle rack until bottoms begin to brown and tops just begin to turn from pale to golden, about 12 to 18 minutes. Cool on sheets 1 to 2 minutes before removing cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.