There is something wonderfully satisfying about a homemade biscuit, especially when its flavor profile moves beyond the traditional sweet or buttery varieties. These Easy Olive Oil and Polenta Biscuits with Rosemary and Lemon offer a deliciously different take on the classic tea biscuit. Made with olive oil, finely ground cornmeal (polenta), fresh rosemary, and bright lemon zest, these little savory biscuits strike a lovely balance between earthy, herbaceous, and citrusy flavors.
Olive oil gives these biscuits a delicate richness while allowing the other ingredients to shine. The addition of fine cornmeal introduces a subtle corn flavor and a pleasantly rustic texture, while fresh rosemary provides an aromatic, woodsy note. A little lemon zest brings everything together with a hint of brightness. The result is a lightly savory and somewhat sweet biscuit that is equally at home on an afternoon tea tray, alongside a bowl of seasonal soup, or served as part of an appetizer spread with your favorite cheeses and preserves.
If you enjoy baking with fresh herbs and experimenting with savory flavor combinations, these rosemary and lemon tea biscuits are a lovely addition to your baking repertoire. They are simple enough for everyday enjoyment but distinctive enough to serve when entertaining.
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Sometimes Inspiration Comes in a Bottle
My brother and his family recently visited from New Hampshire to catch a Michigan football game at the Big House and stay with us a few days. I quickly contacted the extended family and threw together a Sunday brunch so we could all get together and catch up. For many of us, it had been years since we last connected. Old and new photos of the kids and grandkids were shared, job changes and retirement plans were celebrated, and since the weather was absolutely gorgeous for Mid-October, a few yard games were played, too.
For food, my sister and I prepared an egg casserole that has been a standing breakfast dish in her family for years, spiral-sliced ham, a fruit and cheese board, fresh cider, donuts, and apples from a local cider mill. Since it was the Italian side of the family, we had an assortment of Italian pastries, a Vegan blueberry & basil chia seed pudding, and a polenta bar that included both sweet and savory toppings. In true Italian fashion, we worried if there would be enough food, and we ended up sending people home with care packages. It’s what we do in this family.
I’ve been on a creamy polenta kick for a few months now – topping it with Italian sausage and grilled peppers and onions with a drizzle of olive oil and spoonful of ricotta.
As a thank-you for hosting them for the weekend, my brother and his wife gifted me a selection of olive oils and balsamic vinegars from the Monadnock Oil & Vinegar Company. They know me well.
Each little bottle contains endless possibilities! So many sweet and savory olive oils and vinegars – and all perfect for making one of my nephew’s favorite cakes – this Vegan Olive Oil and Balsamic Chocolate Cake – or developing a new recipe like this one for tea biscuits.
After the dust settled from the party and the house was empty again, I started experimenting with olive oils and quickly landed on this biscuit recipe.
What is Cornmeal? Is It the Same as Polenta?
Cornmeal is a versatile ingredient made by grinding dried field corn kernels into varying degrees of coarseness. Depending on how finely or coarsely it is ground, cornmeal can be used in everything from grits, cornbread, and muffins to coatings for fried foods and rustic baked goods.
Polenta, on the other hand, refers to both a traditional Italian dish and the type of cornmeal commonly used to prepare it. Traditionally, polenta is made by slowly cooking coarsely ground cornmeal in water or broth until it develops a creamy, porridge-like consistency. However, the term polenta is also frequently used on product packaging to identify cornmeal intended for making this traditional dish.
Even though I’m calling these cookies olive oil and polenta biscuits, they are technically olive oil and cornmeal biscuits. The English major in me preferred the sound of olive oil and polenta together, and so I chose the creative path instead of the technical when it came to naming these crispy little treats.
Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, not all cornmeal is the same. Fine, medium, and coarse grinds each contribute a different texture to baked goods. For these Olive Oil and Polenta Tea Biscuits, the grind of the cornmeal will influence the finished texture. A finer grind will produce a more delicate crumb, while a medium grind will introduce a slightly more pronounced, rustic texture.
When selecting cornmeal for this recipe, look for a finely or medium-ground product labeled cornmeal or polenta.
One word of caution; avoid instant or precooked polenta. The processing can affect how the ingredient behaves in baking. I found it made for a denser, tougher cracker, so stick with regular cornmeal.
Olive Oil and Polenta Biscuits: a Fast and Easy Hand-Mixed Recipe
One of the things I love about this recipe is that you don’t need any special equipment to make it, and you can easily mix this dough by hand. After the dough is formed, it needs a quick rest in the refrigerator to allow the oil to absorb into the flour. A quick roll, followed by a short 9-10 minute bake in the oven, and you are done.
Choose a Good Olive Oil
I developed this recipe with one requirement: you must use a good quality Extra-Virgin grade olive oil with an acidity level of 0.8% or lower. The flavor should be full bodied and it should smell fresh and herbaceous. When you sip on it, you may notice a pleasant peppery “kick” on the tongue and back of the throat, and that’s OK. That’s the sign of a good olive oil.
When selecting an olive oil for this recipe, avoid ones that are sharp or have an overly olive-forward flavor.
Can I Use Infused Olive Oils?
Absolutely! This recipe calls for plain, unflavored olive oil, but you can use a good, flavored one instead. When developing this recipe, I ran out of lemon zest and rosemary one day and turned to a lemon-infused olive oil instead. Even without the zest and minced, fresh rosemary, these biscuits turned out perfectly delicious. Orange, fig, and other fruity olive oils will lend themselves beautifully, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
A Sweet and Savory Little Biscuit Worth Baking
These Olive Oil and Polenta Biscuits with Rosemary and Lemon are a reminder that some of the most memorable baked goods come from unexpected ingredient and flavor combinations. The earthy notes of cornmeal, the fragrant aroma of fresh rosemary, and the brightness of lemon create a biscuit that is simple, balanced, and wonderfully versatile.
They can be enjoyed alongside a cup of your favorite tea or coffee. However, they are also delicious paired with soft cheeses, a little honey, or a savory spread. If you are putting together an appetizer board, these homemade olive oil cookies are a lovely choice. If you give this recipe a try, I would love to hear what you think!
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Easy Olive Oil and Polenta Biscuits in Under 1 Hour
Course: Dessert, StartersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy30
cookies5
minutes30
minutes10
minutesThese little savory biscuits strike a lovely balance between earthy, herbaceous, and citrusy flavors. They’re simple enough for everyday enjoyment but distinctive enough to serve when entertaining.
Ingredients
1 cup A.P. flour
1/2 cup white, granulated sugar
1/4 cup fine- to medium-ground cornmeal
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves (no stems, minced
1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk, room temperature
1/4 cup olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients, lemon zest, and rosemary.
- In a small bowl or glass, whisk together the whole egg and yolk until well blended. Add the olive oil to the egg and whisk until just combined.
- Add the egg mixture to the dry mixture and gently blend the dough together with a spatula until a smooth, but slightly sticky dough is formed. You can also use your hands if preferred.
- Cover and place the dough in the refrigerator to rest for 30 minutes.
- When the dough is ready, generously dust your workstation with flour. Press the dough into a disk, dust the top with just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the rolling pin, and roll to approximately 1/8-inch in thickness. Use a 2-inch round cookie cutter to shape the biscuits.
Gather up the scraps of dough, dust off any excess flour from the bottom, and reshape the dough into a ball. Roll and cut once more. - Transfer the biscuits to the prepared baking sheet and dock the surface of the cookies with a fork. Leave 2 inches of space between the cookies to ensure even baking.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for approximately 8 – 10 minutes. The biscuits are ready when they are lightly golden around the edges.
- Allow the biscuits to rest on the baking tray for two minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Serve with tea or charcuterie. Biscuits will keep for 1 week at room temperature in an airtight container.
Notes
- Why do I need to dock the surface of the biscuits before baking? Docking (poking little holes all over the top of the dough) ensures that the biscuits bake up evenly and flat instead of developing a bunch of air pockets.
- Can I use different herbs? Yes, try fresh basil with lemon or orange zest. Alternatively, you can try other infused olive oils (sweet, not savory) and leave out the zest and herbs.
