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Recipe Detail Page
French Onion Sandwich Cookies
Holiday 2024
French onion soup is reimagined as a savoury sandwich cookie and a whimsical party snack. To make it vegetarian, simply replace the beef broth with vegetable. This recipe makes more onion jam than needed, but it’s a versatile condiment for a cheese or charcuterie board. Instead of Five Brothers, you could use Gruyère, Appenzeller or Comte.
Makes about 15 cookies
SHERRY ONION JAM
1 tsp (5 mL) canola oil
1 cup (250 mL) diced sweet onion, such as Vidalia
2 tbsp (30 mL) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) dry amontillado sherry
1/4 cup (60 mL) sherry vinegar
1/2 cup (125 mL) low-sodium beef broth
1 bay leaf
CHEESE SPREAD
2 tbsp (30 mL) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated Gunn’s Hill 5 Brothers cheese, at room temperature
1/2 tsp (2 mL) dry mustard
SHORTBREAD
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, diced, cold
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (15 mL) sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1/2 tsp (2 mL) table salt
1 cup (250 mL) finely grated Gunn’s Hill
5 Brothers cheese
1 egg, yolk and white separated
1/4 tsp (1 mL) dried thyme
Pinch cayenne
Coarsely ground black pepper for sprinkling
1. For the onion jam, heat oil in large pot over high heat. Add onions and reduce heat to medium- low. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, beginning to brown and volume is reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Raise heat to high and stir in sugar. Stir constantly for 1 minute. Add sherry, vinegar, beef broth and bay leaf. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally until mixture is thick and jammy, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 3 days.
2. For the cheese spread, heat cream in a small saucepan until boiling, reduce heat to low and quickly whisk in cheese and dry mustard until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container. Cool, cover and refrigerate up to 1 day.
3. For the shortbread, place butter, flour, sugar and salt in bowl of food processor. Pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add cheese, egg yolk, thyme and cayenne. Pulse a few seconds at a time until a ball begins to form. Transfer to a work surface and knead gently, just until a cohesive dough comes together. Shape dough into cylinder, roughly 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
5. Remove dough from fridge, unwrap and slice, using a serrated knife, into rounds roughly 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. Place slices on a parchment- lined baking sheet.
6. Gently beat reserved egg white to loosen. Lightly brush each cookie with egg white and sprinkle with black pepper. Bake until firm and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and leave to cool completely.
7. To form sandwiches, pair off cookies, gently spread 1/2 tsp (2 mL) cheese spread on the inside of one and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) onion jam on the other. Put the two cookies together to form a sandwich and set aside. Repeat with remaining cookies. Serve within 1 hour of assembly.
Makes about 15 cookies
