Easy Lemon Herb Shortbread Cookies

These flavorful, fragrant, lemon herb shortbread cookies welcome Spring beautifully. MORE + LESS -

The Decorated Cookie

April 19, 2017

2 1/2

cups all-purpose flour

teaspoon salt

sticks butter, softened

cup confectioner’s sugar

egg

teaspoon vanilla extract

teaspoons lemon zest

teaspoons lemon juice

to 9 sprigs assorted fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme and sage

egg white

1/2

teaspoon water

tablespoon granulated sugar (optional)

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1

In a medium-size bowl, briefly mix the flour and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a standing mixer, blend the butter and confectioner’s sugar well. Add the egg, vanilla extract and lemon zest and juice and mix well. Gradually blend in the flour mixture and stir until a dough forms. Scoop the dough from the bowl and wrap in a zip-top bag or in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
2

Preheat oven to 375º F. Prepare your herbs by either finely chopping the leaves or snipping more decorative, larger pieces. You can choose to keep the herbs separate and use only one kind of herb per cookie, or you can blend them into a mixture. Shown here, the herbs are kept separate. Set aside.
3

On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the chilled cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2 1/2-inch circle, oval or square cookie cutter to cut out your cookies. Transfer cookies to a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Mix the egg white and water. Lightly brush the top surface of the cookies with the egg white mixture. Sprinkle or place the herbs on each cookie. Gently press the herbs to flatten against the cookies. If desired, sprinkle a pinch of sugar on each cookie.
4

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown.

To remove leaves from thyme, pinch a sprig and run your thumb and forefinger along the length of the sprig against the direction of the leaves’ growth.
Use any shape or size cookie cutter you like, but you may have to adjust the oven time for smaller or larger cutters.

Nutrition Information

1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

Got coffee? Pour a cup to go with these buttery shortbread cookies. If you’re putting fresh herbs on your cookies, I think it’s safe to say you’re a grown-up. And if this is what being a grown-up tastes like, I have no problem with adulthood. I’m all about cookies (geez, look at the name of my blog). But sometimes I need a balance to all that sugar. These buttery cookies are not too sweet, so the hint of lemon and the delicate flavor of herbs shine just right. Rather than blending the herbs into the dough, the cookies are decorated with snippets so you can use a variety of herbs with one batch. Then you get the bonus of cookies dressed for a garden party! So next time you snip from your garden or stop by the farmer’s market, consider using fresh herbs for dessert. They're perfect for bridal or baby showers. Or backyard gatherings. Or any party. Or for your own indulgence. The cookies are adapted from my Basic Sugar Cookie recipe and are quite simple to make. To remove leaves from thyme, pinch a sprig and run your thumb and forefinger along the length of the sprig against the direction of the leaves’ growth. Use any shape or size cookie cutter you like, but you may have to adjust the oven time for smaller or larger cutters. Bake until the edges are gorgeously golden brown. Enjoy with a cold glass of iced tea. Or smooth, hot coffee. Or vodka. I won’t judge.