Desserts
Lemon Thyme Shortbread
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Lemon Thyme Shortbread
Makes about 3 dozen cookies
While thyme may seem like an unlikely ingredient for a sweet cookie, you will quickly
learn why these are so popular.
Nutritional information per cookie (with ½ teaspoon icing):Calories 89 (56% from fat) carb. 9g pro. 1g fat 5g sat. fat 3g chol. 25mg sod. 32mg calc. 2mg fiber 0g
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks; ½ pound) European style, unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, room temperature
- ¹⁄³ cup granulated sugar
- ¹⁄³ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
Lemon Icing:
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Pinch fine sea salt
Preparation
- Put the flour and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Using the beaters, mix on Speed 1 to fully combine, about 30 seconds. Reserve.
- Put the butter into a large mixing bowl. Mix on Speeds 2 to 3 until creamy, then add the sugars. Mix on Speeds 2 to 3 until light, then add the egg yolks and mix until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix on Speed 2 until evenly mixed. Add the thyme and lemon zest and gently mix into dough.
- Divide dough into two discs. Wrap in wax paper/parchment, then wrap well in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
- Take dough out of fridge to soften slightly. Preheat oven to 350°F with two racks in the lower and upper middle thirds of the oven. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll dough out to ¼-inch thickness and use a 1½-inch round cutter to form small discs. Put onto baking sheets and chill for about 10 minutes.
- Bake chilled cookies for about 12 minutes, until just browned around the edges, rotating pans if necessary. Cool cookies completely.
- While cookies are cooling, prepare the icing. Put all of the ingredients into a medium mixing bowl and mix on Speed 1 until very smooth. If the icing appears to be too thick, add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time. If it appears to be too thin, add more confectioners’ sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time. Spread on top of cooled cookies as desired.
