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Recipe Detail Page
Hazelnut Sage Butter Cookies
Holiday 2015
Toast ½ cup (125 mL) hazelnuts on a baking sheet at 350°F (180°C) until skins crack, 7 to 8 minutes. Tumble into a towel, and rub to remove skins. Finely chop nuts. Prepare recipe as in Rosemary Butter Cookies but use 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried leaf sage in place of rosemary, crumbling it between your fingers as you add. Omit pepper. After stirring in the flour, stir in nuts. Continue as in recipe, sprinkling the top of cookies with finely chopped nuts before baking, if you like.
Makes 120 small cookies
Rosemary Butter Cookies
Clean flavours of butter and fresh rosemary are a winning combo in these bite-size cookies. Since they’re fast-to-stir-together “icebox” cookies, it’s easy to make them ahead and refrigerate until cocktail hour is nigh. Then it’s a simple slice-and-bake process—a true godsend during hectic holiday times.
2 cups (500 mL) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder
½ tsp (2 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) ground white pepper (optional)
2 tbsp (30 mL) very finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 egg
1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
Fresh rosemary for garnish
1 In a bowl, blend flour with baking powder, salt, white pepper (if using) and rosemary. In a larger bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, beat egg with butter, sugar and vanilla for about 2 minutes. Using low speed, gradually beat in about half the flour mixture. Then stir in remaining mixture using a spatula or spoon.
2 Using floured hands, gather dough into a ball. Divide into 4 portions. On a lightly floured surface, shape each into a log about 1¼ inches (3 cm) wide and 8 inches (20 cm) long. Wrap in clear wrap or waxed paper. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or up to 1 week. Alternatively, seal in a plastic bag and freeze up to 6 months, but move to the refrigerator for a day before slicing.
3 To bake, preheat oven to 325°F (160°C).
4 Remove a log from the refrigerator; let stand at room temperature about 10 minutes to make it easier to slice. Then slice in ¼-inch-thick (5‑mm) rounds. Place on a large parchment lined baking sheet, dipping cookie tops into finely chopped rosemary or gently pressing a tiny sprig on each if you wish.
5 Bake in centre of preheated oven until cookie bottoms are pale golden, 9 to 10 minutes. Remove right away to a rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Cookies will keep well stored in an airtight container in a cool place up to 1 week.
