Vermouth Noir Shortbread Frites Recipe

Vermouth Noir Shortbread Frites are a funky, sweet-savory shortbread cookie created while filming Halloween Wars Season 15. During Episode 3, I was assigned one of the most challenging flavor combinations of the episode: chocolate and olives.

This recipe was my way of leaning all the way into the assignment — not fighting the funk, but embracing it.

The cookies feature lemon zest, rosemary, chopped green olives, and a rich shortbread base, with an optional Vermouth Dark Chocolate Ganache for dipping. The result is unexpected, bold, and surprisingly balanced.

The Inspiration

These cookies were created for a nightclub-themed display on Halloween Wars. The set featured martini glasses made of isomalt, olives everywhere, and a late-night bar vibe — so I decided to make the cookies look like bar food.

The original version was cut into skinny rectangles, styled like fries, and served alongside the display. Hence the name:

• Vermouth — used to echo classic martini flavors

• Noir — a nod to dark chocolate and the nighttime club setting

• Frites — French for “fries,” reflecting the shape and bar-food concept

It’s playful, a little weird, and very intentional.

A Note on Olives & Vermouth

I specifically used Spanish Queen martini olives, which are already vermouth-soaked. If you prefer to skip alcohol entirely, regular green olives work just fine and still deliver the savory contrast that makes this cookie interesting.

The Vermouth Dark Chocolate Ganache is optional. Red vermouth was originally used simply because it was what I had access to on set — feel free to substitute a dry vermouth if you want something closer to a classic martini profile.

And full transparency: I don’t drink alcohol and I hate olives — so I haven’t personally eaten the fully finished version of this cookie. That said, the judges gave it shockingly positive feedback, calling it funky in a good way, and it remains one of the most memorable flavor challenges from that episode.

Bake Along With Me

This recipe is part of my monthly live Bake-Along series, where I walk through the process step by step and share technique, texture cues, and troubleshooting tips.

📅 Live Bake-Along:
Tuesday, January 6
6:00 PM Mountain Standard Time
📍 Live in my Facebook group

→ [Join the live bake-along on Facebook]

If you can’t make it live, the replay will be uploaded to YouTube and added to this page after the class.

Download the Recipe

This blog post is meant to provide context — the full recipe lives in a clean, printable PDF.

→ [Download the printable recipe PDF]
Free download — added to your Neo Sugar Academy library.

If you enjoy creative, competition-inspired recipes like this, be sure to explore the rest of my Free Resources inside Neo Sugar Academy.