Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies (Recipe Inspired by THE LOST APOTHECARY)

Tartlets, you have no idea what I went through to bring you today’s Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies.

For reals. If you only knew how many trial batches of cookies were tossed in the bin…. *sigh*

As soon as I finished reading The Lost Apothecary, I knew what my book-inspired recipe would be. Author Sarah Penner included a recipe for Rosemary Butter Biscuit Cookies at the end of the book, and since apothecary Nella knows everything about plants and flowers, I loved the idea of baking a savory cookie in her honor.

So, I set about making the shortbread recipe in The Lost Apothecary, following it to a T, except for the addition of some orange zest, which I thought would be a nice complement to the rosemary.

Ummm…yeah.. The cookies bombed.

Well, the flavor was awesome, but all the butter oozed out of the cookies, leaving me with greasy, flat discs instead of crumbly, crisp shortbread.

So then I tried making a shortbread recipe by Ina Garten. The same thing happened.

Then, I tried some random shortbread recipe I found on the internet.

You know what I realized, guys?

I CANNOT MAKE TRADITIONAL SHORTBREAD COOKIES TO SAVE MY LIFE.

Which is ridiculous, because shortbread has, like, four ingredients. I should be able to make this.

I don’t blame the recipes. After so many failed attempts, the problem has to be with yours truly.

But that’s okay. Every baker has her Achilles’ heel, and apparently shortbread (okay, and pie crust) is mine.

These Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies, though? These are a success!! A long-awaited, hard-earned SUCCESS!

The recipe is a slight deviation on your traditional shortbread cookies. They’re a cheat, if you will.

A small cheat. Very small.

And you’re not even going to notice it once you taste these babies.

Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies are light and buttery, crisp and sandy, just like shortbread should be. They’re sweet and ever so faintly floral from the orange zest, and then you get a zip of sharp, savory flavor from the flecks of rosemary.

They’re the kind of cookie you can eat three, four, five of at a time without even realizing it…and then sneak back in for juuuust one more.

The cookie dough base is one of my favorites to make because, like regular shortbread, it requires so few ingredients, and it’s super easy and quick to put together. I’ve made it time and time again, in various forms, and Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies are just another variation of this delicious dessert.

Plus, the dough is slice-and-bake, which means you can make it ahead of time, refrigerate it, then simply slice and bake off the cookies when you’re ready to eat them.

Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies are delicious without any type of garnish, but I sprinkled them with some extra granulated sugar right out of the oven.

The sugar creates a little extra crunch, and it also makes the cookie tops sparkle.

Okay, I’ve gone on long enough about my trials and tribulations with shortbread cookies. I now leave you with the most perfect mock-shortbread recipe there is. Enjoy.

Blogger’s Note: These photos were taken using the Weathered Wood surface and the Slate surface from Replica Surfaces. I’m a Replica Surfaces Ambassador! Click on http://replicasurfaces.com/awellreadtart  (affiliate link) to learn about this favorite brand of mine. 

Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 28 minutes mins

Servings 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp orange zest (uses two oranges)
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2-3 tbsp granulated sugar (optional, for sprinkling)

Instructions

 

PREP INSTRUCTIONS

• Zest oranges and set aside.
• Finely chop rosemary and set aside.
• Using a stand-mixer, or a hand-mixer and a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and the ¾ cup granulated sugar until combined. Add in egg yolk and beat until combined.
• Add the rosemary and the orange zest to the bowl, and beat a few times until blended into the butter mixture.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Gradually beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture until completely combined and a soft dough forms.
• Spread a piece of plastic wrap on your worksurface. Turn out the cookie dough onto the plastic wrap and shape into a log that’s about 12 inches long and 1 ½ inches high. Wrap the log in the plastic wrap, then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 3 hours.**

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment.
• Remove the cookie dough log and use a sharp knife to cleanly cut ¼ -inch thick slices. Place cookie slices on baking sheets; you can fit about 12 cookies on a baking sheet since they don’t spread in the oven.
• Bake cookies at 350F for about 10 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden brown and the cookies are slightly firm to the touch. [Note: cookies will continue to harden as they cool.]
• Place baking sheets on cooling racks and sprinkle the cookies with the 2-3 tbsp granulated sugar while they’re still hot from the oven.
• Remove cookies from baking sheet to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Notes

**If you’re in a rush, you can also place the cookie dough log in the freezer for 30-45 minutes until it’s hardened; just be careful not to freeze the dough!

Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies recipe is adapted from this recipe.