Rosemary Parmesan Shortbread

I love baking shortbread because it’s such a wonderful blank slate. It’s great plain, buttery and crumbly, and sometimes that’s what I crave. But I also like to put fun flavors into it. Like, for example, rosemary. Because, you see, rosemary is the one plant that I reliably do not kill over the winter. It helps that it can withstand both drought and downpour, and if I remember to soak every week or two and then leave it by a window, it gets by until the next spring.

I also love shortbread because it's not too sweet. I find shorbread's mellow flavor incredibly soothing and addictive. A couple of years ago I went on a rampage putting savory ingredients into shortbread, and those were a huge success. So when I googled "rosemary shortbread" and found this, I was excited. Parmesan and rosemary together at last, in cookie form. Yes.

My only qualm with this recipe as written is its reliance upon technology. I mean, do I really need to haul out the food processor to cut butter into flour? No, I do not. To me, this is a false economy of time and effort, in that it takes more effort to wash the food processor bowl and blade than to just do the work with my own two hands. But that’s me. If you’re intimidated by the idea of cutting flour into butter, or don’t own an awesome low tech pastry cutter, then go ahead and process the dough.

This recipe is terrific because you can keep the dough in the fridge for a couple of days, wrapped well in plastic, and just make a few cookies at a time. Or you can cut them out and freeze them and keep them for weeks in a plastic bag in the freezer! Or you can simply bake the entire batch and devour them, or bring them to a friend’s house to share. This is a good way to make friends.

Rosemary Parmesan Cookies

Adapted from Claire Robinson

2 c flour

1 c confectioners’ sugar

 2 t chopped fresh rosemary leaves

½ t salt

½ c grated Parmesan

1 c butter (cold or at room temperature – this is a shockingly forgiving recipe)

1. Mix flour, sugar, rosemary, salt, and Parm in a bowl. Cut butter into small chunks and add to dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or two butter knives to cut the butter into the dough until it is well distributed and starts to cling together like dough. Use your hands to work the dough until it will form a ball. If necessary, add water, ½ t at a time, just enough to get the dough to come together.  I have never needed the water.
2. Flatten ball of dough into a thick circle and wrap with plastic. Put in the fridge for at least a half hour and up to a couple of days.
3. When you’re ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour a clean surface and roll dough out to about 1/3 inches thick. Cut out cookies with a cutter (or, lacking that, the top of a glass).
4. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, about 13 minutes.