Rosemary Shortbread

This shortbread is the best kind of aromatherapy. Rosemary has a piney fragrance that reminds me of a freshly cut fir tree, and when combined with buttery shortbread dough you've got a cookie that tastes like Christmas!

I usually cut shortbread into long fingers (they're great for dipping in coffee) but this aromatic dough absolutely begged to be cut into evergreen shapes.

I love how the chopped rosemary speckles the cookies throughout. It's just so naturally beautiful.

Just about any cookie-lover will appreciate these, but I'm especially excited to give these to the avid herb gardener on my Christmas list.


Rosemary Shortbread
(click for printable version)

2 1/2 cups/320 g all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup/226 g unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup/85 g confectioners' sugar

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a bowl, whisk together flour, rosemary and salt. In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well blended. Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the flour mixture. Blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Gather dough into two balls. Roll each dough ball flat (to about 1/4-inch) between two pieces of parchment paper; refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Cut the dough with a tree-shaped cookie cutter, or other desired cookie cutter shape.Transfer cut-outs to the prepared sheets; re-roll scraps and cut as many shapes as possible.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. (Do not allow cookies to brown.) Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Note: Sometimes a rosemary leaf will not cut with the cookie dough, so you'll have a piece sticking out of the side of your cut-out. Just take a pair of kitchen-dedicated scissors and snip the piece away from the edge before baking.