Best Chocolate Orange Rosemary Shortbread Recipes

ROSEMARY-ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a food processor, process the sugar, rosemary, zest and salt for several minutes, until the sugar has colored and the rosemary is chopped very fine. Add the flour, scraping up the contents at the bottom of the bowl to blend the mixture evenly. Sprinkle the butter over the mixture. Process in pulses until no bits of butter are visible; the dough should not quite be clumping or coming together. Drizzle the Orangecello or orange juice over the mixture. Process using 10 to 15 one-second pulses; stop and stir to scrape up and incorporate the mixture on the bottom as necessary. Stop processing as soon as the mixture begins to come together.
• Turn out the dough onto a large sheet of baking parchment or wax paper. Gently knead it just until evenly blended and cohesive. If it is slightly dry or crumbly, gradually knead in 1 or 2 more teaspoons of Orangecello; if it is soft, sprinkle over a tablespoon or so of flour and knead in until slightly firmer.
• Divide the dough into thirds. Roll out each portion between sheets of baking parchment or wax paper to a round measuring a generous 1/8-inch thick; be sure the thickness is uniform. Check the undersides and smooth out any wrinkles. Stack the dough portions (paper attached) on a tray or baking sheet. Freeze for at least 10 minutes and up to 24 hours. If the frozen dough is hard, let it warm up and soften just slightly before using.
• When ready to bake, place a rack in the middle third of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Line several baking sheets with baking parchment, or spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• Working with one dough portion and keeping the others chilled, peel off one of the sheets of paper, then pat it back into place. Invert the dough, then peel off and discard the second sheet. Using a 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inch (or similar) round or scalloped cutter, cut out the cookies. Use a spatula to transfer them to the lined baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. If the dough becomes too soft to work with, return it to the freezer until it firms up, then continue. Repeat the process with the other portions of dough. Combine the dough scraps and continue rolling, chilling and cutting out until it is all used.
• Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 5 minutes. Rotate the sheet from front to back and bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until the cookies are just faintly rimmed with brown; watch carefully, as they brown rapidly near the end of baking. Let the pans cool on wire racks for about 3 minutes, until the cookies firm up, then use a wide spatula to gently transfer the cookies to racks. Cool completely.

ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, rosemary and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well., Shape into two 8-1/4-in. rolls; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake at 350° for 11-13 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing from pans to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED ORANGE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, sugar, 2 tablespoons orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add butter and beat until mixture resembles crumbs and starts to stick together. Work until dough sticks together and forms a smooth ball that is not sticky, adding milk if mixture is too dry. Press into a disk shape and wrap in wax paper. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Lightly flour a clean countertop. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters and place on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until bottoms are lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Line the countertop with wax paper. Dip tops of cookies into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Place cookies on the wax paper and immediately sprinkle tops with remaining 1 tablespoon orange zest. Let dry.