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Have you ever baked a sweet dessert with herbs? I’ll be honest, this is the first time I’ve tried it and I don’t think I’m ever going back to my non-herb baking days. These Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies are a surprise with every bite. Buttery shortbread infused with sweet and tangy citrus and a subtle earthy herbal note from the rosemary. All of these flavors are set off by the slight crunch of the sparkling sugar at the edge of each little cookie. Seriously, these cookies will continue to delight you even as you find yourself eating the entire batch all by yourself. I’m not admitting to anything other than the fact that I may need a cookie intervention.
Along with my cookie intervention I may need an intervention for all of my ‘kicks’ this year. And by kicks, I mean short lived obsessions during which I explore and cook and bake with a certain ingredient until my family can’t stand to even look at it anymore. And then I move on. Luckily, each kick has gently given way to the next one so that the previous is not thought about in completely negative light, but rather thought of fondly. At least I like to think that’s the case. I just can’t help myself. I get so into a particular ingredient or food and I can’t quite seem to think about anything else until I’ve exhausted all of my ideas; or at least until the next shiny ingredient comes along and turns my head.
These Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies seem to embody several of my kicks, especially when paired with my Rosemary Citrus Spritzers. I have been on a crazy citrus kick lately, going from Meyer lemons to key limes and now a combination of lemon and mandarin orange. The Rosemary Lemon Shortbreads are also giving way to my latest kick: baking with herbs. Stay tuned for more of that because if I know myself at all, this isn’t over by a long shot. But you should definitely try them for yourself. I’m quite sure you won’t be sorry that you did.
Do you have any ingredients that you just can’t get enough of? Please tell me I’m not the only one.
Rosemary Lemon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Sanding sugar for rolling, optional
Directions:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add lemon zest, vanilla and egg and beat until incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together both kinds of flour, salt and rosemary.
- With the mixer on low, gently add dry ingredients into butter mixture. Mix until ingredients are well combined and a stiff dough is formed.
- Cut two 12x16 inch pieces of plastic wrap. Divide dough in half placing one half of the dough on each piece of plastic wrap. Use your hands to form two 1 ½ inch diameter logs. Open the plastic wrap and sprinkle logs with sanding sugar (if using) and roll a bit more to coat the logs well in the sugar. Wrap logs tightly in the plastic wrap, place on baking sheet and freeze logs for 1 hour or until firm.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove dough logs from the freezer and remove the plastic wrap. Slice dough into ¼ inch thick slices and place on prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart.
- Bake until cookies are just golden at the edges, about 16-18 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on wire racks. Store cookies in an air tight container for up to 4 days.
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How neat are these!! I never really think to use herbs in my baking (other than breads anyway) and now I REALLY want to try these out to experience the flavor first hand. They look gorgeous :D
there’s a tea salon that has THE BEST herb cookies. My favorite is the one made with lavendar. It’s such a different flavor experience.
I have made a similar cookie from a Martha Stewart recipe for Rosemary Butter Cookies and I absolutely love them!! The addition of the lemon though would certainly send it over the top!! Can’t wait to try this!
I’ve made rosemary and lavender shortbread cookies and the biggest surprise was how well the rosemary blended with something a bit sweet; it was our favorite of the two. I’ve also used lavender and lemon on a pizza with ricotta and honey; not quite a dessert but oh so good. I love baking with herbs in general; while no longer interested in a veggie garden I still keep a huge herb garden and get excited this time of year knowing it won’t be long!
I’ve never cooked with lavender before, but have always wanted to try it. That lavender and lemon pizza sounds unbelievable! Thanks so much for the ideas :)
They certainly look yummy!
I go through “kicks” constantly. Right now I’ve decided that my family needs to expand it’s tastebud horizons, so I’m trying new dinner recipes constantly.
I think the boys would give anything for a taco at this point.
These cookies are absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks so much!! I think I could go for a taco, too, now that you mention it…
Lovely photos and recipe! I’ve enjoyed the lemon-and-rosemary flavor combination in my savory dishes. Can’t wait to try it in a cookie, and a shortbread cookie no less!
(And I know what you mean by ‘kicks’ — I experience them all the time (right now I’m on a fig and hazelnut kick!)
Thanks so much, Mari! Fig and hazelnut sound amazing :)
Lovely photos and recipe! I’ve enjoyed the lemon-and-rosemary flavor combination in my savory dishes. I can’t wait to try this in a cookie, and a shortbread cookie no less!
And I know what you mean by ‘kicks’ — I experience them all the time (I’m currently on a figs and hazelnut kick).
I have no doubt that I’d love these cookies… and it’s so funny, I have rosemary, lemon scones on the blog right now. Something must be in the air. :-)
I’m definitely going to have to swing by and check out those scones, Brian! They sound amazing!
I looove baking with herbs. Rosemary and lemon is one of my favorite combinations. Thyme and sage are also wonderful herbs to bake with. And I love simple little cookies like this, especially with those cute sparkly edges!