Spruce + Orange-zested Shortbread Cookies
My family and I really love these sweet little medallion cookies. They are addicting! But I was especially excited to try and share these in particular, because we had such a difficult (and long) winter in the upper midwest and spruce tips are just now becoming abundant and foragable.
Foraging is not something I grew up doing, but since I’ve moved to the north woods I’ve become fascinated with the variety of edible plants and herbs that are abundant on our property alone. So far, I’ve found at least six, but I’m sure there are more! Spruce tips are just one of them and the good news is that with spruce, all varieties are non-toxic (I always do research when learning about potential edible wilds and encourage everyone to do the same before trying anything! It is also important to be mindful of how much one procures from the wild and from any given plant, from a sustainability perspective). One of the websites I really enjoy that has a lot of information about foraging, things to keep in mind, and that has some great wild recipes is The Forager Chef.
But getting back to these cookies. I was surprised by the finished product - how lemon-y they were! Not having experimented much with spruce tips I wasn’t expecting this to be the case, but they were actually really delicious and I can think of countless ways I’d like to try them. If you have the opportunity to try them yourself, I highly recommend it - you just might be pleasantly surprised as well. If you’re already using them, I’d love to hear your favorite way to prepare them in the comment section below!
If you’re looking for just a little something sweet, these cookies are really the perfect solution. I generally use less sugar than would be traditionally called for in most baked goods anyways, which I did here as well. These cookies are light, airy, and so versatile (not to mention cute, too) - I’ve made them countless ways using the same main ingredients and ratio of flour, butter, and sugar, and mixing in all different kinds of flavors, zests, and herbs. So get creative here - you really can’t lose.
Spruce + Orange-zested Shortbread Cookies
makes approx. 24 cookies | dairy-free
Prep Time: 40 minutes | Inactive Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: ~9 minutes
Total Time: 80 minutes
Ingredients:
150g all-purpose (or cake) flour | (~1 cup)
1/4 tsp salt
100g butter, softened (I use this one, and it’s so, so good) | (~1/4 cup + 3 tbsp)
40g sugar | (3 tbsp)
1 tsp pine tips, finely chopped
zest of 1 orange
Method:
Sift flour and add salt to a medium mixing bowl, whisk, and set aside.
Cream butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Add sugar, pine tips, and orange zest to butter and cream together until well-mixed (about 2 more minutes). See notes.
Adjust speed to low, and begin sifting the flour into the bowl until mixture is coarse and crumbly and dough starts to come together, taking care not to over-mix.
Form dough into a disc, wrap or place in container, and place in fridge to chill (about 30 minutes). See notes.
Preheat oven to 325 F.
Turn dough out onto a lightly-floured surface and roll out as evenly as possible, about 1/8” thick.
Use the small round of a biscuit cutter (or cookie cutter of choice) to form small medallions and stamp if desired.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and bake cookies for about 9 minutes, until slightly golden.
Let cool completely before enjoying. Serve alongside your morning coffee or afternoon tea for a little extra treat :)
Notes:
It is important to chill the dough before baking, as this will help dry out the dough and add to its delicate crumb.
I’ve both creamed the butter and ‘cut in’ the butter to make shortbread, and they are both good! If you prefer to cut in the butter, simply add all your ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk well before incorporating the butter.