Category: Holiday 2019

Rose Shortbread Cookies

Classic, buttery, whole wheat shortbread cookies. They’re fragrant with rosewater, flecked with toasted nuts, and dried rose petals.

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These are buttery, whole-wheat shortbread cookies – fragrant with rosewater, flecked with toasted nuts and dried rose petals. They have a crunchy dusting of sugar on top that provides a satisfying, sweet tongue scratch, and are punctuated with black sesame. I’m not going to lie – it took a few attempts to nail them down, as many of you know, dealing with floral flavors can be a bit tricky. But now, as written, they’re wonderful!
Rose Shortbread Cookies on a Marble Counter

Rose Shortbread Cookies: Inspiration

These buttery gems came about when I was tasked with bringing dessert to a friend’s house. She was cooking an impressive Ottolenghi-inspired feast, and I thought these would be a pretty finish, with the rose petals and all. In the years since that dinner they’ve become part of my regular shortbread repertoire, and I make them often for special occasions and holidays. I mean, they’re so lovely and tasty!
Rose Shortbread Cookie Dough Being Stamped with Small Animal Shaped Cookie Cutters
Rose Shortbread Cookie Dough on a Parchment Lined Baking Sheet

Baking with Flowers

The trick with cooking or baking with florals is figuring out how much is too much, and how little is too little. For example, with this shortbread recipe, the first couple of attempts I used dried rose petals only, and a good amount. But the flavor got pushed around a bit, bullied and overpowered by the browning butter.

Second attempt? I gave the rose notes a boost by layering the petals in the dough with a splash of rose water. The dough immediately became more fragrant, balanced, and helped nail what I intended (and hoped for) from the start. I suggest using a bit of caution when baking with rose water, because each bottle seems to vary in strength, quality, and scent. Strictly for reference, I’ll mention that I have been using Nielsen-Massey Rose Water. If you’re unsure about the quality or strength of your rose water, start with half, and taste the dough. You can always adjust with more from there. Trust your senses :)!
Baking Rose Shortbread Cookies in a Kitchen

These little shortbread cookies are perfect alongside other bite-sized treats on a post-dinner sweets board. I like to break up a good bar of chocolate, include some salted caramels, maybe a few dates, etc. Or you could do a cookie-only sampler, with a range of tiny cookies. They’re great for parties and showers and boxed up as a gift as well. Enjoy!

More Cookie Recipes

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Hermit Cookies

My friend Sante shared his hermit cookie recipe with me. It’s a soft, simple, drop-style, spice cookie loaded with tiny currants, chopped walnuts, and finished with a bit of icing.

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This hermit cookie recipe came to me via a friend. I was enjoying dinner with my friend Sante and a few others. Sante is a fun person to chat with because he’s one of those guys who never runs out of stories – or opinions for that matter. Some of you may know him from his days as the chef at the Slow Club in San Francisco. Late in the evening the topic of conversation turned to Christmas cookies.

I’m solidly a shortbread person, but Sante started talking about hermits – a cookie he makes regularly for a friend who loves them. I had no idea what he was talking about. I’d never heard of a hermit cookie. He went on to describe a simple, drop-style spice cookie loaded with tiny currants and chopped walnuts, finished with a bit of icing. He promised to share his recipe with me, and here we are. As promise, an A-plus addition to any holiday cookie platter.

hermit cookies on a cooling rack after baking

What are Hermit Cookies?

I’ve come to learn that there are all sorts of theories about how these cookies came to be named. Some say hermit cookies got their name because they taste best when they’ve been hidden away like hermits for a couple days. There’s the theory that they looked like a hermit’s brown cloth. The oldest versions of the recipe are thought to be back to Medieval European hermitages. So that’s another angle. It may be a bit of all of the above. 

There are as many approaches to making hermits as there are bakers. The common ingredients seemingly spices, raisins or dates, nuts. Some like hermits iced or frosted, others skip it. They are simple to make. The chewy, nuttiness along with warm flavors like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves strike a nice balance. And, I keep thinking, this might also make the foundation for a delicious muffin batter.

hermit cookies on a cooling rack after baking

Hermit Cookies: Pro-tips

Here are a few things I’ve learned after making Sante’s hermits over the years. True to the legend, they are really good the day they are baked and iced, but exponentially better the day after. The icing develops a bit of a crust and the spices meld together. Hermits are perfect with a cup of coffee in the morning. They are great on a holiday cookie plate. A cup of cardamom (or saffron tea) in the afternoon is another perfect pairing. I also never skimp on the icing. If you’re in my camp consider doubling up on the icing.hermit cookie dough ingredients in a mixing bow
Above you can see the cookie dough coming together. And below the final consistency of the dough after all ingredients have been incorporated.
hermit cookie dough in a bowl with a spoon

Hermit Cookies: Variations

Here are a few variations people have noted in the comments that sound fantastic! New Englanders definitely repping for bar-shaped hermits made with molasses in the comments.

  • Kristin noted, “I added some freshly grated orange zest to the batter. It was tough to not eat the batter and actually bake the cookies, truth be told.”
  • I love the coffee suggestion Paullett makes here. “I used to bake them often when I was the cook at the Convent of Notre Dame in Toronto. I have never seen one iced before I’ll have to try it. One common addition to them is a bit of strong cold coffee and some molasses. The authentic way is to add rasins and walnut but I put candied peel, candied fruit and even pine nuts which is very not authentic.”
  • Elle went the cardamom route and shared, “I baked a batch for my colleagues the other day & substituted cardamom for the allspice–it was a very good call–cardamom is incredible in this recipe and people really enjoyed the cookies!”

hermit cookie on a cooling rack

And for any of you browsing this page around the holidays, here is a bit of additional cookie inspiration.

More Christmas Cookie Recipes

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