Let’s talk about bar snacks. While I’m very much a fan of opening a bag of chips, putting out a bowl of nuts or throwing some cheese and crackers on a platter, sometimes it’s nice to level things up a bit. These gluten-free Parmesan and black pepper biscuits do exactly that with very little effort.

The dough comes together in just a few minutes and, if you’re the organised type (or aspire to be), you can make it ahead and keep it in the fridge or freezer. Then, whenever cocktails, mocktails or an impromptu gathering call for something a little more special, all that’s left to do is slice and bake.

An added bonus is that these are naturally gluten free. Almond meal replaces the flour, giving the biscuits a rich, buttery texture that’s a long way from the dry, crumbly cheese biscuits that gluten-free baking sometimes gets unfairly known for.

My daughter helped make these, so they of course ended up with a generous shower of extra grated Parmesan over the top before baking. Given the choice, I’m fairly certain she’d happily live on cheese, chocolate and cookies, so there was never going to be such a thing as “too much Parmesan”. Plus, this approach rewards you with crispy bits of Parmesan baked onto the tray – yum!

These also make a lovely hostess gift. Pop them into a simple cellophane bag, tie on a ribbon and you’ve got something homemade that’s genuinely tasty and thoughtful rather than another bottle of wine.

As for what to drink with them? They’re wonderfully versatile, but my pick would be a Dirty Vodka Martini or a Negroni. Both have enough character to stand up to the salty Parmesan and buttery biscuit, and their slow-sipping nature makes them the perfect excuse to linger over a good drink and something worth nibbling.

Worth Making?

Yes — if your ideal drinks snack involves something more sophisticated than a bag of chips or a block of cheese
Yes — if you’re tired of gluten-free crackers that taste like dry cardboard
Yes — if you like having something homemade in the freezer ready for unexpected guests that will certainly impress
Yes — if you’d rather spend twenty minutes baking than pay premium prices for artisan cheese biscuits
Skip it — if you’re looking for a healthy snack, Parmesan and butter have other plans
Skip it — if you’re expecting a crisp cracker, these are intentionally rich and slightly crumbly
Skip it — if you only have the powdered fake parmesan, these need the real deal

Ingredients

150 grams butter
180 grams finely grated parmesan
150 grams ground almond meal
60 grams rice flour
20 grams cornflour
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 large egg yolk
1-2 Tb cold water (if needed)

Instructions

Beat the butter and Parmesan together until well combined
Add the almond meal, rice flour, cornflour and black pepper and mix until the dough starts to come together
Add the egg yolk and mix until a soft dough forms, if the dough seems dry, add cold water one teaspoon at a time
Divide the dough into two portions and roll into logs approximately 4cm in diameter
Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour
Preheat oven to 165°C fan-forced and line two baking trays. Slice the logs into rounds about 5-7mm thick (for more nibble size, cut the rounds into quarters)
Arrange on prepared trays, allowing a little room between biscuits, grate a little extra Parmesan and/or sprinkle some extra black pepper on top if you want to up the flavour profile
Bake for 14-16 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.Allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack

Make it your own way

Add 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary or thyme
Stir through ½ teaspoon smoked paprika for a subtle smoky finish
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or dried chilli for a spicy version
Mix through 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest for a version that pairs beautifully with gin
Replace 30g of the Parmesan with pecorino for a sharper bite
Sprinkle the tops with extra cracked pepper and flaky sea salt before baking

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