Honey Shortbread Bites with Smoky Cream Cheese, Sweet Corn & Tomatoes

When we visited my parents a couple weekends ago in South Dakota, our Sunday dinner was one big summer feast. There was a huge bowl of fresh pico, made with just-picked tomatoes from my sister Jessica’s garden and herbs from Mom’s. Burgers hot from the grill. And big pans of steaming tender sweet corn, bought from a local farmer’s stand. With a slathering of creamy butter, those cobs of corn were some kind of heavenly insanity.

I am completely loving all our meals of fresh August produce, and knew just what I wanted to showcase when PHILADELPHIA asked me to share a new recipe featuring seasonal produce. You got it…sweet corn and tomatoes!

Disclosure: I have been selected by Kraft Foods to be an ambassador for PHILADELPHIA, and compensated for my time to create this fresh delicious summer recipe. All opinions are my own.

This appetizer of Honey Shortbread Bites with Smoky Cream Cheese, Sweet Corn & Tomatoes is one gorgeous and tasty way to start your next get together. I fell so hard for these as I was experimenting in the kitchen, they became much more than an appetizer for me. They were my meal. So good!!

At the base is a simple buttery shortbread cookie, embellished with cornmeal and a bit of sweet honey. And you could stop right there if you wanted to, as these little cookies are incredible all on their own. But then you’d miss the cream cheese and fresh summer yummies. And you really don’t want to do that!

I love to cook and bake and even grill with PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, it’s really no secret. This blog is full of its deliciousness. Made with fresh milk, real cream, and high standards for quality, PHILADELPHIA has been America’s favorite cream cheese since 1872.

The cream cheese is smoky and flavorful from smoked paprika, chipotle powder, and garlic. It’s a creamy savory contrast to the slightly sweetened honey shortbread beneath it, and completely lick-the-bowl worthy.

When topped with golden nuggets of raw sweet corn (thank you, Recipe Girl, for introducing me to the awesomeness of raw sweet corn!) and tomatoes, fresh from the garden…you’ve got yourself one pretty little appetizer that’s huge on summer flavor.

Click here to see this recipe featured on the Real Women of Philadelphia site!

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Honey Shortbread Bites with Smoky Cream Cheese, Sweet Corn & Tomatoes

Yield: 24 shortbread bites

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

This appetizer of Honey Shortbread Bites with Smoky Cream Cheese, Sweet Corn & Tomatoes is one gorgeous and tasty way to start your next get together.

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Ingredients

• for the honey shortbread cookies:
• 1.5 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2” pieces
• 1/4 c. honey
• for the smoky cream cheese:
• 8 oz. PHILADELPHIA cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 T. sour cream
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. chipotle powder
• 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• for the toppings:
• 12 cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
• raw sweet corn kernels from 1 large cob of corn
• 2 T. minced fresh cilantro
• flaky sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

for the honey shortbread cookies:

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Using a rigid pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in honey with a fork. Then knead mixture in bowl until dough begins to cling together. Knead in the bowl by gently folding 4 to 5 times, until dough holds together. Form dough into a slightly flattened disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 325° F. Divide chilled dough in half and form each into a slightly flattened disk. On a lightly floured surface, roll one dough half to slightly less than 1/4'' thick. Cut into circles with a 2-1/4'' round cutter. Place 1'' apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Reroll as needed. Then roll out the second half of the dough and repeat.
3. Bake for 12 minutes, or until edges are firm and tops are lightly golden brown. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

for the smoky cream cheese:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add paprika, garlic powder, chipotle powder, mustard, and salt, stirring to completely combine.

to assemble:

1. With a small spreader, top each shortbread round with 1 to 2 teaspoons of smoky cream cheese. Top with 2 pieces of quartered tomato, some fresh corn kernels, and a bit of cilantro.
2. Add a sprinkling of flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately or chill, covered, for a couple hours before serving.

Notes

From a farmgirl’s dabbles.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 164Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 181mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.

Did you make this recipe?

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Disclosure: I have been selected by Kraft Foods to be an ambassador for PHILADELPHIA, and compensated for my time to create this delicious summer recipe. All opinions are my own.