One of my talents (if you can call it that) is my ability to synthesize. I notice things here and there, collect ideas all over the place, and then they marinate in my brain until two or three things connect and suddenly I have a new idea, argument, thought, or, in the case of the kitchen, recipe. Now, you can call this stealing, if you like. I prefer to think of it as borrowing, or on those days where I’m really full of myself, a really derivative form of genius. Okay, I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m not the most original thinker in the world.
Anyway. That idea-marinating is the source of these crispy, buttery, not-too-sweet, slightly herbal little cookies. I recently spotted a recipe for rosemary cookies at ellenfork. This idea popped into my mind when I was contemplating our indoor rosemary bush, which I’m trying to take advantage of now, before it dies (every year we try to winter our rosemary indoors, and every year it makes it to January before dying. I’m hoping for a change this year, but I’m not too hopeful). So, that’s the first bit.
As I contemplated rosemary cookies, I remembered a Laurie Colwin recipe for rosemary toasted walnuts that I made (and Carlo loved) last year. When I was thinking about those walnuts, I remembered that Tim at Lottie + Doof recently posted a rosemary cashew recipe. Thinking about Tim reminded me of another recipe he posted recently, for walnut sandwich cookies. Thus: rosemary–>cookies–>nuts–>walnut cookies–>rosemary walnut cookies. A perfect recipe for cookies that, though they might be a bit derivative, are super- pleasant. Call me a genius, or call me a slightly boring thief. It’s up to you. Either way, I do suggest you try these. They’d make a lovely accompaniment to tea, or a nice simple addition to a holiday cookie platter.
Rosemary Walnut Butter Cookies
Adapted from “The Sweet Life” by Kate Zuckerman
1 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (to taste, or use 1 tsp. dried, crushed rosemary)
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1. Combine the walnuts, rosemary, and 1 tablespoon of flour in the bowl of a food processor, and grind until the walnuts are a fine powder.
2. Combine the rest of the flour (2 1/2 cups minus 1 Tbsp), the salt, and the walnut powder in a small bowl. Set the bowl aside.
3. Cream the butter at medium speed with a paddle attachment in the bowl of a stand mixer. You can do this by hand as well, if you use some elbow grease. Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy. Next, beat in the egg, mixing until the batter is smooth.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, folding them together with a spatula. Mix slowly in the stand mixer or stir with a wooden spoon until ingredients are combined.
5. Scrape cookie dough into a piece of plastic wrap, wrapping it tightly and then pressing it into a 1-inch-thich rectangle. Refrigerate for at least two hours or overnight.
6. When you’re ready to bake, line baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 F. Slice the chilled logs of dough into 1/8-1/4 inch thick squares and arrange them about a half inch apart on cookie sheets.
7. Bake until the cookies smell toasty and they’re golden on the bottom, about 12 to 15 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheets. These cookies store well in an airtight container, and I have a feeling they’d freeze beautifully too.
18 comments
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December 19, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Tim
Oh, brilliant! What a good idea. I continue to have a complicated relationship with Kate Zuckerman, but mostly I love that book. These look so great.
December 19, 2008 at 2:38 pm
hannehanne
Tim, I agree with you about Zuckerman. Her recipes are great, things always turn out, but I also feel so… bossed around. So I rebel and beat things for FIVE minutes instead of six.
December 20, 2008 at 8:46 am
Tim
Yes, I think that is the best way to handle it.
December 20, 2008 at 11:16 am
toxobread
Rosemary and walnut sounds like a winning combination to me! I also have a habit of mixing and matching different elements into one hybrid (ultimate?) recipe.
December 20, 2008 at 11:29 am
hannehanne
toxobread, It just makes sense, doesn’t it? I don’t have time to try every recipe, but maybe if I just make one mega-recipe, I’ll feel like I’m tasting everything :)
This is a theory that could go horribly wrong, I think.
December 20, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Andrea
Nice for us that you have a mind like a metal trap! Your dishes are always so creative, Hanne, how do you do it?! Oh wait, you just told me, you remember everything. Lucky girl. These look to die for!
December 20, 2008 at 6:14 pm
kickpleat
haha, i loved your thought process for these cookies! they look great and i’m wishing that i had an indoor rosemary bush as it is my most favorite herb ever.
December 20, 2008 at 6:38 pm
hannehanne
Andrea– Thanks, that’s so sweet!
kickpleat– Yeah, I love my rosemary bush, though as I said, I think it will probably kick the bucket soon. It always does, I don’t know why. At least I’ve had it all fall.
December 20, 2008 at 9:31 pm
happygrub
That’s something that won’t grow in the tropics, rosemary! I have an any colour but green thumb(is that grammatically correct), I’m blaming it on the weather! Dill grows pretty well, basil always dies unless its Thai basil which seems hardier.
I really hope ur rosemary plant lives.. And I love the shape of your cookies. I think all cookies should be this squarish plump shapes rather than round!
December 20, 2008 at 10:53 pm
maryann
These look wonderful. I have to try them :)
December 22, 2008 at 1:33 am
Jude
I’ve tried rosemary cookies with dried fruit before and I really like it. I have a thing for “borrowing” things myself :)
December 22, 2008 at 8:13 am
ovenhaven
I’ve got a bunch of rosemary waiting to be used, and after the recent rosemary focaccia I baked, I think this would be the next thing on the list! Thanks for sharing :)
December 22, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Y
Those look like the perfect cookies. So beautifully captured as well.
December 27, 2008 at 3:59 pm
HoneyB
This is a cookie I am definitely going to try!
December 29, 2008 at 10:54 am
michelle
yum. i’ve been contemplating some rosemary shortbread, but the addition of walnuts makes this a clear winner.
December 2, 2010 at 5:10 pm
melpy
I am making these right now! Can’t wait to bake them in 2 hours :)
December 2, 2010 at 8:13 pm
melpy
SO DELICIOUS! Thank you very much :)
October 25, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Eftychia
Yummy, delicious cookies!