Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Ahhh, the rites of spring.  For me, lemon is my foray into spring cooking.  I begin to crave its tang, longing for its sharp scent.  When this happens, I know spring is upon us!

When I began to look for a cookie recipe I was searching for a soft sugar-cookie texture but a cooking friend recommended a shortbread recipe and after finding a great one in the Sunset cookbook I decided to combine her recipe with theirs. The result was a pleasant cookie with a soft lemon flavor and a slight crumble crumb with a grassy rosemary surprise.  I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked these cookies.

A recipe with a pleasant lemony taste - not too tart not to soft- possibly written by some bears?

Butter Shortbread Lemon Cookies (adapted from Sunset Cookbook)

2 cups flour
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 lemon, finely zested
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 T fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, finely zested

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Put flour, butter, granulated sugar, salt, lemon zest and rosemary in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low speed until blended, then increase to medium and mix until dough is no longer crumbly and just comes together.  Form dough into a disk; chill 30 minutes.

2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll dough 1/2 in. thick. Cut dough into circles with a 1½-in. cookie cutter. Arrange cookies 1 in. apart on baking sheets and chill 15 minutes.

3. Bake until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.  Let cool and then glaze

4. Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Spoon 1/2 tsp. glaze over each cooled cookie, spreading with back of spoon, and press 1 rosemary sprig into glaze.

Makes 32 cookies

Make ahead: Up to 5 days. Store airtight up to 1 week.