Rosemary Sea Salt Shortbread Cookies

I look for any and every excuse to eat butter. Shortbread is right up my alley and so I was eager to create (and taste test) a solid, no fuss recipe for baked butter. Because I love salted butter the best, these cookies have a generous sprinkling of big crunchy sea salt on top. The rosemary adds just the right amount of savory, making each bite a perfect balance of goodness in your mouth. Before I owned a heavy duty mixer, I would combine all the ingredients with my hands; the heat from your hands will do a fantastic job of mixing the dough. Sometimes I still like to just do it with my hands—it’s a great way to work through emotions or simply be more connected to the process. They are so easy to make and they freeze beautifully! These would be perfect for a cocktail party, or a simple after-dinner treat. They would also make lovely gifts, although you will likely be hard pressed to share. Try to pace yourself . . . or not.

Rosemary Sea Salt Shortbread Cookies

1 stick of unsalted, softened butter
1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh rosemary
pinch of sea salt for the dough, plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup of flour

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the butter, sugar, rosemary, and pinch of salt. Slowly add the flour, mixing thoroughly with each addition. Take your time combining the flour so it forms into a nice buttery dough. Form the dough into a ball and wrap loosely with plastic wrap. Shape the ball into a log and roll it with your palms until it’s relatively even in circumference. Pop the dough into the freezer for 15-20 minutes so that it hardens enough to slice into 1/4 inch rounds. Place the rounds on a sheet pan and sprinkle each cookie with a healthy amount of course sea salt (I use Maldon sea salt).

Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.