Lemon Thyme Shortbread

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

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

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

1. Put the flour and salt into a medium
mixing bowl. Using the beaters, mix
on Speed 1 to fully combine, about 30
seconds. Reserve.
2. 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.
3. Divide dough into two discs. Wrap in
wax paper/parchment, then wrap well in
plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Bake chilled cookies for about 12
minutes, until just browned around the
edges, rotating pans if necessary. Cool
cookies completely.
7. 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.