Cheddar-Olive Shortbread Balls
Shortbread and balls are the culinary keywords of the season, no?
It’s the morning after (OK, afternoon after) our annual Polyester & Cheese Christmas party, wherein friends wear polyester and bring something cheesy, and our dining room table is so weighed down with cheese by the end of the night (as are we) that the next morning all you can do is come downstairs in your PJs, make some coffee and keep going. Polyester & Cheese is the official kick-off to the season of nibbling party food leftovers for breakfast, lunch and dinner (if you haven’t had warmed mince tarts for breakfast yet, I highly recommend it) straight through until Boxing Day.
This is a classic, old-school formula, and so easy: Mix 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 1/4 cups flour, 2 cups grated cheddar, wrap around an olive, chill for an hour then bake for 20 minutes.
So there you go. I love recipes like this.
The dough can be made in approximately three minutes, and the wrapped olives can chill for an hour or five, and be at the ready for that time when you expect guests to arrive at the door, at which point you can slide them into the oven to bake and have something warm and wonderful smelling (who needs potpourri or smelly candles you can’t eat?) and easy to eat that everyone seems to love, and that tastes just as good once they cool down. (Note: the olives stay hot for longer than their shortbread jackets do; and make sure you don’t buy olives with pits – emergency dental work can put a damper on any Christmas party.)
Cheddar-Olive Shortbread Balls
AuthorJulieIn a medium bowl, mix together the butter, flour, cheddar and salt and pepper. Wrap some dough around each olive (patting them dry with paper towels seems to help the dough not slide off - just cup it in your hand and squeeze it together as if you were making a little snowball) and refrigerate for an hour or so.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F and bake for 20 minutes, or until pale golden on the bottom. Cool before serving - the olives inside can get hot!
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, flour, cheddar and salt and pepper. Wrap some dough around each olive (patting them dry with paper towels seems to help the dough not slide off - just cup it in your hand and squeeze it together as if you were making a little snowball) and refrigerate for an hour or so.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F and bake for 20 minutes, or until pale golden on the bottom. Cool before serving - the olives inside can get hot!
Hi Julie – love your 12 days of recipes…well, all of your recipes. I have question unrelated to this post though and hope you don’t mind…I’ve been making your Rosemary, Raisin & Pecan Crisps from your Grazing cookbook and was wondering how you slice the loaf so thin that you get 8 doz. crackers from the recipe. I do chill until very cold..almost frozen, then use an electric knife…any other tips? Everyone love, love, loves these crisps and thanks again.
these are so sinfully good with a nice cold martini!
not that I would know this or anything!
Maybe a stupid question, but in your pictures it looks like the olives are stuffed with cheese, too?
Those were freaking delicious! I was going to text YOU for the recipe, but here it is 😉
Regardless of the fact that I am not an olive fan, these were delicious!
My husband would love these. What a surprise for him when he bites in and finds an olive.
Oh my, it MUST make these!!
That would be I must make these.
I hate olive, the green ones the worst. Yuck ptttooii
Is there anything else that could be stuffed with cheese and put inside the dough?
It looks so good, but the olives gaaaahhh ruin it
But I can’t think of anything that would replace them
Laurie – try making them with dates! I bet that would be FAB!
Carolyn – yes, some were stuffed with feta! I put some text over one of the photos, but should have mentioned it somewhere too! Either would work.
Brenda – I was just thinking about those crackers! If you freeze the loaves and then thaw them slightly, it’s easier to slice them super thin. Use a sharp serrated knife, too!
Do you think these would travel well in a tin from BC to Alberta via Greyhound? It’s the cheese not being refrigerated that makes me ask.
Thanks!
Don’t take this the wrong way, but I read this post first thing this morning (like, pre-shower, pre-coffee) and thought “meh”. I’ve now just sat down with a nice after-work, after kid-hockey cocktail and saw this again and thought “OH MY GOD I HAVE TO MAKE THESE RIGHT NOW!!!!”
Thanks, Julie, I’ll try it 🙂
All this and freezable, too? Oh, wow. Must. Make.
Cheddar-Olive Shortbread Balls, is more yummy and sweet……….
Its very tasty, but make it at home (with your own taste).
How far ahead can I prepare these (before popping them into the oven)? Or can I prepare the dough earlier, then wrap and bake? Trying to get as much done ahead of time as I can! Thanks so much!
For sure! Although once chilled, the dough may be a bit more difficult to handle – but it should work just fine!
Have a BBQ tomorrow and going to try this tonight! I made cheese shortbread (which I plan to share on my blog) previously but they weren’t amazing to be honest haha so hopefully the olive addition adds some zing to the dish! 🙂
I love them!
This Cheddar-Olive Shortbread Balls looks soooo yummy and delicious! Great post 🙂 x
It’s never too late for Cheddar-Olive Shortbread Balls. 😉 One of my favorite flavors!!
Looks very yummy, thanks for the recipe as well, will going to try it for sure.
Those were very freaking delicious!
Thanks for your article!
Keep writing
Exciting article!
I love this food so much
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