Lemon Rosemary Shortbread

Written by Jessica Merrill

If you’re at all like me, you probably get a craving for a little something in the late afternoon, just a treat to see you through to the end of the day – and to dinner of course! I usually try to restrain myself to a cup of tea, but oh that tea tastes so much better with a sweet, nothing too rich, but just a cookie or biscuit or…lemon rosemary shortbread. Yes, earl grey tea with lemon rosemary shortbread is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up, like a little ray of sunshine in what would otherwise be a bleak February afternoon.

I got inspired to make lemon rosemary shortbread after a good friend (wink wink Maggie) sent me some Lark Fine Foods Salted Rosemary Shortbread over the holidays. It was delicious, sweet but also savory, and I got hooked, so I needed to make my own. I took a basic shortbread recipe, where the star ingredient is butter (try not to think about it), then added sea salt, chopped rosemary, lemon juice and lemon zest. The end result is the perfect teatime snack.

Lemon Rosemary Shortbread

Ingredients

• 3 sticks of unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary

Mix together butter and sugar until combined. Add vanilla, lemon juice and zest.

Mix flour and salt together, then add to the butter and sugar. Add the rosemary. Mix together and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough one-half inch thick and cut cookies. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and cook for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees, until just brown around the edges. Watch them closely, since they can crisp up quickly at the end.