Fragrant Almond Shortbread Cookies
The fragrant almond shortbread cookies are simple yet complex. Made with just a few ingredients but is all about the fragrance. There are three layers of fragrant flavors, cardamom, rose and lavender. They somehow come together to make a cookie that is special and still very practical. It is inspired by a classic nankhatie. In this however, I use butter instead of ghee.
The Story of my Fragrant Almond Shortbread Cookies
The flavors of cardamon, lavender and rose come together beautifully in this creation. The magic of this is the fragrance that wafts around the house while it bakes. I actually did all the chilling and shaping overnight. In the morning, this came together quickly. In under 30 minutes. Everyone woke up to coffee and warm cookies. I am good that way. Sometimes.
A little bit about the Ingredients
In playing with the texture, I increased the flour and almond content a little bit more than a typical shortbread. It still works out quite flaky. The important thing in my opinion is to use good ingredients. They are so few. And for a uniform level of saltiness that cuts into the sweetness, use salted butter. A good kind. I used Kerry gold butter.
Moist brown sugar. I have a hunch that this will work well with maple sugar as well. If you know something about me by now, you will know I love maple syrup. And so maple sugar is not far behind. A good cup of coffee or tea and you are in business. Some other fun cookie recipes are these Walnut Shortbread cookies and my Crisp Coconut Cookies.
This is such an easy yet elevated recipe to pull together. The only thing that is important to remember with this is to plan the time for chilling the dough. It is probably business as usual for most bakers but something that needs a little bit of planning. And since it keeps well in freezer, you can make a double batch and freeze it.
Beautiful and fragrant and so very simple, the shortbread cookie will be your new favorite thing.
Ingredients
- 1 stick or 8 tablespoons salted Irish butter, softened
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of almond meal
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom (about 10 pods)
- 1/4 teaspoon powdered lavender
- 1 teaspoon rose water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- Crushed rose petals
- sliced or slivered almonds
Instructions
- Place the butter in a mixing bowl and add in the sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture until pale and creamy.
- In a separate bowl stir in the almond meal, flour, ground cardamom, powdered lavender and mix well.
- Add the mixture to the butter mixture in 3 batches, mixing well. With the final batch add in the rose water and the milk to mix well.
- Divide the mixture into half.
- Shape into 2 logs about 2.5 inches in thick and wrap in cling wrap and chill for at least an hour or longer if time permits.
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking sheet with oil or butter.
- Slice the logs into 1/4-inch pieces. Place on the baking sheet. Lightly press down a few sliced almonds and rose petals to decorate.
- Place in the oven and bake for 18 minutes until fragrant and the edges are beginning to turn golden.
- Leave in the oven for 10 minutes and then remove and allow them to cool.
Kirna
Hi, can you make this if I don’t have lavender powder?
rinkub@aol.com
Yes, just leave it out.