Homemade Cheese Nibbles

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If you’re looking for the perfect little something to serve with a festive drink or before Sunday lunch, these homemade cheese nibbles are a proper crowd-pleaser. Crumbly, buttery, and loaded with cheese, they’re the kind of snack that disappears almost as soon as they hit the table.

We also call these ‘cheese sables’. Cheese sables are a savoury cheese biscuit, and are very much an English treat. It is perfect for a pre-lunch snack or drinks nibble.

This savoury cheese sables recipe is in no way similar to the sweet sablé shortbread cookies that originated in Sablé-sur-Sarthe, in Sarthe, France.

So how these cheese biscuits obtained the ‘sable’ name I am not sure. It could be because the process of crumbling the butter into the flour is the same for both types of biscuit? I do not know.

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Christmas Appetizer

This recipe’s been in the family for years. Mum always made a batch for Christmas Day – we’d hover around the kitchen pretending to “help” just to sneak a few before the guests arrived. And even now, they’re still a staple any time we’re entertaining or just fancy something savoury with a gin and tonic.

They’re similar to cheese biscuits or savoury sables, but don’t expect anything dainty or sweet. These are properly crumbly cheese snacks, best eaten with your hands and hoover in hand if you’re not careful. We usually make a big batch and serve them warm or cold – either way, they’re incredibly moreish.

They’re also brilliant make-ahead nibbles for a dinner party or game night. A bit of cheddar, a quick mix, and into the oven they go. You can even shape them into rounds or little sticks, depending on how fancy you’re feeling.

These really are the perfect savoury Christmas Homemade Cheese Nibbles – but they are quite a crumbly cheese biscuit. You may end up having to hoover your carpet after the party!

Make sure that you do not eat too many before lunch or you could ruin your Christmas dinner!

Although they are really good to eat when still warm, they are meant to be eaten cold, so you can make them up front without a problem. (Just try not to eat them all while they are cooling!)

savoury cheese cookies — *Ready for the oven*

We also eat them in our house just as a snack when watching a rugby game – the ideal game-day food. Pair them with a red wine, port or just as they are while watching the game. Just make sure you hide a few for yourself – once they’re out, they won’t last long.

The recipe is very easy to master, but remember to make sure you get a consistent mix so that the biscuits get the correct texture.

Good luck making them and let me know how you get on in the comments section below!

How to make savoury cheese cookies

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Yield: 35

Cheese Sables Recipe

This delicious and easy cheese sables recipe gives you some wonderful crumbly savoury cheesy biscuits. These are perfect for your pre-Xmas dinner or Thanksgiving drinks.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

85 g plain flour
85g cheddar cheese, finely grated (or parmesan if you so wish)
85g salted butter
1 whisked egg (to glaze)
Some flaked almonds, crushed

Instructions

Sieve the flour into a bowl. Then turn the butter into the flour with your hands to create a type of crumble.
Then add the grated cheese to the mix and keep mixing until you have a homogenous mix. You can also do this in the food processor if you prefer.
Roll this dough then on a lightly floured surface into a thin roll about 1 ¼” in diameter. Then place this roll into the fridge in grease-proof paper for 30 minutes (or more) to cool down. Do not omit this step - it will not turn out well.
When you are ready to make the cheese biscuits, pre-heat the oven to 190C. Then slice the roll into rounds about 3mm thick (1/8“). Do not cut them too thick.
Place the rounds on a baking sheet and baste them with the lightly beaten egg. Then place some crushed almonds on top.
Place in the oven for approx. 10-15 minutes until golden brown and cooked. The cooking time may vary depending on the type of cheese you use and your oven. Keep an eye on them so they do not burn.

Notes

I make about 35 sables out of these ingredients quantities.

Remember the basic ingredients are one part flour, one part cheese and one part butter, so it is easy to determine your quantities, depending on how many you want.

Make sure you make enough. This quantity goes in an evening in our house!

Homemade Cheese Nibbles