My best friend won’t be able to make it home for the holidays, so I boxed her up some of these rosewater shortbread cookies to add to her Christmas care package. These are the perfect cookies to enjoy along side a cup of hot tea. Be sure to use culinary rose petals when making this recipe. They can usually be found in a Mediterranean marketplace. You can also add more or less rosewater depending on your preference, but I found 1 tablespoon to be the perfect balance. I used almonds in this recipe but feel free to experiment with other nuts, including pistachios.
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup cane sugar
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- pinch sea salt
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp rosewater
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup crushed rose petals
- 1/4 cup almond slices
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornstarch, ginger, cardamom, and salt.
3. Add the oil, rosewater, and vanilla extract and mix until a dough forms.
4. Fold in the rose petals and almond slices.
5. Form a ball of dough about the size of a golf ball and flatten it with your hands to form half inch thick discs (or shape them however you like). Continue until dough is gone, about 12 cookies.
6. Place cookies on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with rose petals. Let cool until cookies harden.
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Photo: Lauren Sacerdote