I’m welcoming in all things spring with these Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies.
Which, for the record, are my favorite new cookie. I’m totally shocked about this because I’m not a rose water fan.
But these cookies are addictive, Tartlets. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Why are Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies the book-inspired recipe for Vanishing Daughters?
I normally don’t make book-inspired recipes for books I discuss on Dark Side of the Word. But I was so inspired by all the roses in Vanishing Daughters that I knew I had to make something to go along with the book.
And, since our interview with author Cynthia Pelayo ended up being so wonderful, I’m so glad I went the extra mile for Cynthia’s book.
Pelayo weaves roses throughout Vanishing Daughters: the scent of roses lingers on the air; unruly rose vines tap-tap-tap against windows; long-stemmed red roses are left on doormats and presented in bouquets. Then, there’s the main character, whose name is Briar Rose (yes, like in Sleeping Beauty).
I decided to make Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies because 1) Berry Rose sounds pretty close to Briar Rose, and 2) berries are one of the few ingredients with a flavor profile strong enough to stand up to rose water, which is what gives this dessert its floral essence.
Why I love Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies
Since I don’t really like rose water, you can imagine how surprised I was when I ate a Berry Rose Shortbread Cookie… and then another… and then another. All in quick succession.
I am obsessed with these cookies.
The fruity, floral flavor of this shortbread is so delicate. I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to perfectly balance the strawberry with the rose water.
Rose water is a tricky beast: too little in your recipe, and you don’t taste it. Too much, and it’s all you taste. Getting the right amount of rose water in a recipe is a skill, and I’m pretty damn pleased (and surprised) to say that I harnessed it for these Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies.
I brought a batch of Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies to my Zumba class, and the reviews came back all raves.
People kept going back for “just one more cookie” and then started bringing some home for their families. Even people who don’t like rose water in their desserts loved these cookies – a true compliment.
Let’s talk about cookie texture for a moment. Shortbread is known for being crispy and crumbly and buttery, which these Berry Rose cookies totally are. BUT…
I rolled the cookie dough to about 1/2-inch thick. This means that the cookie centers baked up just a little bit chewy while the edges still give you that crisp and sandy shortbread texture.
You can roll your cookies on the thinner side (1/4-inch thick is more typical), but I hope you’ll try making thicker cookies at least once. That lil’ bit of chewiness really brings something special to Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies.
Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies aren’t traditional shortbread
Traditional shortbread cookies are made with very few ingredients: butter, flour, sugar, and maybe a little salt. That’s it.
While I love the taste and texture of shortbread, I have never been able to make a good shortbread cookie without using an egg to bind all the ingredients together.
Remember my Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookie debacle? Yeah.
I’ve come a long way since I slaved over that shortbread recipe. Now, I don’t even bother trying to make “traditional” shortbread. I just throw an egg in the cookie dough and live and let live. The shortbread still tastes and looks and crumbles exactly like classic shortbread.
I’m going to toot my own horn – toot toot! – and say that I’m in love with the look of Berry Rose Cookies. That pale pink cookie with hot-pink flecks of strawberry; the dark chocolate drizzle across the top; and the sprinkling of dried rose petals give these cookies a very romantic look.
I used ground-up freeze-dried strawberries to add flavor and color to the cookie dough. The raw dough is a very pretty shade of light pink, but the cookie fades to a pinkish-beige as it bakes. You could always add some pink food coloring if you wanted pinker (is that a word?) cookies. But, I really like the natural blush from using just the powdered strawberries.
What do you serve with Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies?
Like any good shortbread cookie, Berry Rose cookies are best served alongside a simple cuppa tea. These are a perfect treat after a blustery spring walk amongst the blossoming trees and spring flowers. They would also be a great addition to an afternoon tea with some Cherry Chocolate Chip Scones, Arugula Salad with Watermelon and Feta, and Curried Chicken Salad Sandwiches.
If you can’t get enough of all things rose water, try my Raspberry Rose Profiteroles, Rose Honey Cake, Hocus Pocus Cupcakes, and Blood Orange and Rose Water Fairy Cakes.
Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
BERRY ROSE SHORTBREAD COOKIE INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 3/4 tsp rose water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries, ground up into a powder**
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- powdered sugar, for rolling out the cookie dough
DECORATING INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
- 1-2 tsp shortening (optional)
- dried edible rose petals
Instructions
DOUGH BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Use a small food processor to blitz the freeze-dried strawberries until you have a fine powder. Set aside.
- Use your stand mixer to cream together the butter and granulated sugar until well-combined.
- Beat in the egg, rose water, vanilla extract, and strawberry powder.
- Add the flour in small batches, beating between each addition, until a soft, thick dough forms.
- Shape the dough into two flat disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or overnight, until dough is firm.
BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
- When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350F.
- Line 2-4 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sprinkle some powdered sugar over your work surface. Unwrap one disk of dough and roll it out to ½-inch thickness on your powdered work surface. Use a cookie cutter to cut out your desired cookie shape.
- Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. These cookies won’t spread as they bake, so you can fit about 9 cookies per sheet. Repeat process with remaining scraps of dough and the second dough disk.
- Refrigerate the cookie sheets for about 10 minutes before baking.
- Bake Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies at 350F for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.
- Remove baking sheets to a cooling rack. Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the sheets, then remove to the rack to cool completely. Make sure Berry Rose Shortbread Cookies are completely cooled before decorating.
DECORATING INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt the chocolate chips until smooth. (I do this in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring in between each heating until mixture is smooth.)
- If you want a more pourable mixture, stir shortening, one teaspoon at a time, into the warm melted chocolate.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate over the Berry Rose Cookies and sprinkle with dried edible rose petals. Let chocolate set until hardened.
