Rosemary Walnut Shortbread

posted in Desserts on by

Less dense than a classic shortbread, and caramel-y from the dark brown sugar, this sophisticated shortbread has a very subtle rosemary flavor, chunks of walnuts instead of the more traditional ground nuts. The graham flour adds another dimension of nuttiness. Serve these after dinner with a dessert wine.

Named after Sylvester Graham, graham flour is a type of whole wheat flour (most notably used in graham crackers) made by grinding each piece of the wheat kernel separately, instead of all at once like in regular whole wheat flour. The flavor is infinitely superior to whole wheat flour and can be subbed with great success for part of the white flour in many recipes. I love it!

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Rosemary Walnut Shortbread
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Serves: 3 dozen
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup (1/4 pound/1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped lightly toasted and cooled walnuts
  • 1 ½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup graham flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle and mix until smooth and creamy.
  3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the vanilla and mix well.
  4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix until everything is well incorporated.
  5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.
  6. Form into two 1-½ inch diameter logs and cover with parchment paper. Place the logs in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to one month or freeze up to two months.
  7. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  8. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat/exopat.
  9. With the tip of a very sharp knife, cut ⅜ inch slices of the dough and place on the prepared cookie sheet.
  10. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cookies are just beginning to brown on the edges, about 20 minutes.
  11. Transfer to a wire cooking rack.
  12. Cool cookie sheet completely between batches. Repeat with remaining dough.