Elevate your holiday cookie tray with versatile shortbread cookies infused with fresh garden herbs. This expert-tested basic recipe, developed by horticulturist and cook Julie Martens Forney, allows endless customization for sweet or savory flavors. Enjoy buttery richness paired with vibrant, garden-fresh notes that highlight your homegrown bounty.
Julie Martens Forney
Julie Martens Forney
Julie Martens Forney
To prepare pineapple sage flowers, remove the inedible green bract at the base.
Julie Martens Forney
Place the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment.
Julie Martens Forney
Add herb leaves and/or flowers. Pulse two or three times to combine with dry ingredients.
Cut the butter into 8 pieces. Add to the food processor, along with any other seasonings (pepper, cheese, or pineapple).
Julie Martens Forney
Pulse to combine, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Continue pulsing (20-30 times) until dough forms.
Turn dough onto a clean surface. Shape into a log about 6 1/2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches wide. Log diameter sets cookie size—for smaller cookies, make a longer, narrower log. Wrap in plastic, twisting ends to seal.
Julie Martens Forney
Slide log into a paper towel tube slit on one side. Close tube over dough to keep it perfectly round.
Freeze until firm (about 1 hour). Dough keeps frozen up to 1 month.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Julie Martens Forney
Unwrap dough log and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Place 1 1/2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheet. For savory versions like sage-pepper Parmesan, sprinkle with coarse salt before baking for extra crunch.
Bake 10 minutes, rotate pan front to back, then bake 8-10 minutes more until set and golden, not browned.
Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
Julie Martens Forney
Yields 20-24 cookies. Store airtight up to 1 week or freeze up to 2 months.
Experiment with these proven flavor pairings from Julie's garden kitchen. Use similar herb-to-dry ratios; drain moist fruits like pineapple to control liquid. Endless options for sweet treats or savory pairings with salads and soups.
