Lemon-Herb Butter Cookies

These are lovely with some tea and they will make your kitchen smell divine! They are very similar to the lavender shortbread I've made before but I love the addition of the rosemary and lemon - so many great flavours!

I was hoping to make these earlier in the week since I had fresh rosemary from my parents' garden and a local lemon to use but I was unable to find corn flour at the "big box" grocery store. I go to a smaller store on Saturdays to get the bulk of my groceries - they have a wonderful bulk foods section (as well as a bunch of local and organic produce!) so I was able to get the corn flour I needed there. If you can't find it, you should be fine just subbing additional all-purpose flour.

This made 32 cookies - you may or may not get more than that :)

Ingredients:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp. dried lavender - my addition (I gave mine a quick crush with a mortar and pestle)
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup corn flour
1 1/2 tsp. aluminium-free baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup turbinado (raw) sugar for decorating

Method:
1. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, rosemary, lavender, and lemon zest with an electric mixer or stand mixer for 3 minutes (or until creamy). Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla.

2. Whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Add to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Shape the dough into 2 1-inch wide logs. Wrap in wax paper and chill for 2 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Cover 2 baking sheets with parchment or spray with cooking spray. Place the turbinado sugar in a bowl. Slice the cookies into 1/3-inch thick rounds (work with 1 log at a time - keep remaining dough refrigerated until you're ready to use it). Press one cut side of the cookies into the turbinado sugar and place sugar-side up on a baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown on bottoms. Transfer to wire racks to cool.


Reference:
This is based on the Lemon-Rosemary Butter Cookies recipe from the April 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times. The only change I made was to add some dried lavender.