Apricot Basil Shortbread Cookies

Recipe for Apricot Basil Shortbread Cookies, an orange zesty yet light flavored shortbread with a touch of basil. These cookies are a perfect addition to a cup of tea or serve them at an afternoon party.

Longer warmer days are finally here and I’m spending much more time outside. Everyone I know is tending their gardens or planting fresh flowers. I spent the entire day last Sunday filling my porches with potted herbs, hanging colorful baskets, and training my mandevilla to attach to the deck railing. My green thumb isn’t the best, but I put forth a great effort.

I love being surrounded my plants! My father is an expert horticulturist whose skillful knowledge did not permeate through at a younger age. Though, now as an adult I find myself calling him with plant questions. Isn’t it funny how things always turn full circle? Nonetheless I am determined to have a thriving herb garden this year! (yes, my childhood home is beautifully landscaped with a plethora of stunning flowers)

The herbs I’ve chosen to mindfully cultivate are lemon thyme, rosemary, lavender, oregano, parsley, and sweet basil. I picked basil for my first recipe incorporating my porch garden. Apricot basil shortbread cookies have two tablespoons of freshly chopped basil. Mixed with the citrus notes of orange zest and dried apricots the basil adds a hint of sweet aromatic mint. Trust me you will be scarfing these cookies just as quickly as I did!

Pair your apricot basil cookies with a fresh pot of peach tea. You will feel like a royal sipping and eating on your porch amongst the flowers..(or maybe that was just my personal vision) Anyways..bake a fresh batch for a party this season and let me know how they turn out!

What do Apricot Basil Shortbread Cookies taste like?

The flavor of these cookies is mainly apricot and orange. Basil brings a sweet almost spicy mint flavor to the strong citrus. When sweet basil is eaten raw it can have a peppery taste, but when baked its more of a minty clove. So using basil in cookies creates a fresh balance of tastebud delight.

Try these Dried Apricots :

Made in Nature Organic Dried Apricots

Mariani Organic Sun Dried Unsulfured Apricots

 What are Shortbread Cookies?

 

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Apricot Basil Shortbread Cookies

 Recipe for Apricot Basil Shortbread Cookies, an orange zesty yet light flavored shortbread with a touch of basil. These cookies are a perfect addition to a cup of tea or serve them at an afternoon party.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword apricot, basil, shortbread cookie

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes

chilling time 30 minutes

Total Time 24 minutes

Servings 42 cookies

Calories 63 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (440 g) all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup (165 g) raw organic sugar
• 3/4 cup (190 g) cold unsalted butter sliced and cubed
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (95 g) chopped dried apricots
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sweet basil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ Tbsp orange zest

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together sifted flour, sugar, and salt.
2. Drop in your small cubes of butter and begin mixing together with your hands. Squeeze the butter and flower mixture, working until it resembles cornmeal.
3. Next, take your chopped basil and apricots and blitz them in a food processor or blender for a couple seconds for an extra chop. (don’t overdo, this is just to make the pieces smaller, not to create a liquid)
4. Add your basil, apricots, orange zest, and vanilla to your flour mixture.
5. Lovingly work knead the ingredients together by had, mixing thoroughly to create a cookie dough texture.
6. Dough should be moist but firm. (if you feel it is dry add a Tbsp of water..dough should NOT be sticky)
7. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap.
8. Place dough in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
9. *dough can be made the day before and kept in the fridge overnight. When you’re ready to bake place dough on counter for 30-45 min to slightly thaw. Work in your hands to help the dough become more pliable, since the butter will have hardened.*
10. Preheat oven to 325 F (163 C) and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
11. Remove dough from the fridge and slice in half.
12. Place one half on a gently floured surface and roll out to 1/8 inch -1/4 inch thickness.
13. Use your cookie cutter to cut out as many cookies as you can.
14. Transfer cookies to baking trays. *cookies will not spread much, so you can place them a half inch apart*
15. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until edges start to golden in color. Bake time may differ between ovens, so keep an eye on the first batch.
16. Repeat with remaining half of dough.
17. Set cookies on cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Brew a pot of peach tea or grab some milk, pull up a chair outside and nibble your cookies while smelling all the fresh flowers! *The number of cookies you get will depend on the size cutter you use. I was able to make 42 cookies with a 2 inch cutter*