Fantastic savory pastry with cheese made from cream cheese dough: delicate, crispy and addictive

Name: Fantastic savory pastry with cheese made from cream cheese dough: delicate, crispy and addictive
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 400 g cream cheese (e.g. Philadelphia or another full‑fat cream cheese); 200 g plain flour; 100 g cold butter; 150 g grated hard cheese (Emmental, Gouda, Parmesan or a combination); 1/2 teaspoon salt; a pinch of freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme (optional); 1 egg; seeds (sesame, flax, poppy) or grated cheese

Easy to prepare
12 portions
45 minutes

Jan, 09. 01. 2026

Print recipe

It makes a great quick snack, a treat for visitors, a nibble with wine and a savory pastry for the festive table. Once you bake it, expect it to disappear faster than it cools.

This savory pastry made from cream cheese dough is exactly one of those recipes you’ll save “for keeps”. It’s incredibly delicate, beautifully crunchy and has a full cheesy flavor that’s impossible to resist. Yet the preparation is surprisingly simple and really anyone can make it — no proving, no complicated steps and with a minimum of ingredients.

For 12 portions

Ingredients

Dough:

400 g cream cheese (e.g. Philadelphia or another full‑fat cream cheese)
200 g plain flour
100 g cold butter
150 g grated hard cheese (Emmental, Gouda, Parmesan or a combination)
1/2 teaspoon salt
a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme (optional)

For brushing and sprinkling:

1 egg
seeds (sesame, flax, poppy) or grated cheese

Preparation procedure

Cut the cold butter into small cubes. In a large bowl put the cream cheese, plain flour, grated cheese, salt, pepper and, if using, the dried herbs. Mix briefly.
Add the cold butter to the dough and quickly work it by hand or in a food processor until a crumbly mixture forms that begins to come together into a dough. Work quickly so the butter stays cold — this is the basis of the crispness.
Briefly bring the dough together into a smooth ball, wrap in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Thanks to chilling, the pastry will be beautifully crisp and easier to work with.
Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 5 mm. With a sharp knife or cutters, cut out the desired shapes — rectangles, squares or triangles.
Arrange the pastries on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Brush the surface with the beaten egg and, to taste, sprinkle with seeds or a little cheese.
Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Bake the pastries for 20–25 minutes until nicely golden and crispy. After baking, let them cool briefly on the sheet.

Number of servings

approx. 12 servings (smaller pieces)

Total preparation time

approx. 45 minutes

(preparation 20 minutes, chilling 30 minutes, baking 20–25 minutes)

Tips and variations

For a more pronounced flavor you can replace part of the cheese with Parmesan or add a pinch of nutmeg. Chopped olives, sun‑dried tomatoes or garlic powder also work great in the dough. If the pastries start to darken too much during baking, cover them with foil for the last few minutes.