12 Days of Cookies | Day 11: Grapefruit Rosemary Shortbread (Gluten Free)
Not all cookies are created equal. And, not all cookies need to be sweet. This citrus gem is the perfect brightness in every bite, with the subtlest hint of rosemary.
Citrus-flavored desserts are one of my top sweets categories. So, naturally, you’ll find one on any lists I compile. Lemon and lime are my go-tos, but as near winter, I love the tart, bitter, and sweet notes you get from a nice, ripe grapefruit. I also like the idea of having something a bit more savory in style amidst otherwise sweet cookies. Shortbread is the perfect vehicle, and grapefruit and rosemary are great culinary buddies. The trick here is to find the right balance of grapefruit and rosemary, with overdoing it, because too much of either of those can make something too tart and bitter or too perfumey (especially if you use fresh rosemary).
Grapefruit Rosemary Shortbread Cookies are the perfect partner for your cup of tea, with just the most delicate hint of sweetness, bright notes from the grapefruit and earthy flavors from the rosemary. The good marker for whether I think a cookie is brag-worthy is whether or not I find myself eating more than one throughout the day without even thinking about it. Let’s just say that has definitely happened…
Let’s get bakin’.
How to Make Grapefruit Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
Start by making the topping in a small bowl and set aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the powdered sugar and butter. You’ll want to do this for 1-2 minutes until the batter lightens in color.
Add in the vanilla, grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, and minced rosemary.
Mix in the flour in two batches.
Transfer the dough to a large sheet of parchment paper.
Shape the dough into a log.
Fold the parchment paper over itself and gently wrap around the dough log. Use your fingers to tighten around the log to smooth out the shape of the dough.
Do that a few times, then open the parchment paper back up. Use the sugar and grapefruit zest topping and sprinkle to cover all sides of the dough log.
Wrap the parchment paper tightly around the log and place in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to chill (overnight works, too).
Preheat the oven to 350º. Line a full baking sheet with a silicon liner or parchment paper.
Slice the cookie dough into 1/4” thick rounds. Add to your cookie sheet spaced 1-2” apart.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. You don’t want too much golden color on these cookies.
Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container and eat within 4-5 days (if they even last that long).
Grapefruit Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
Yield: 2 dozen
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes (per each batch in the oven)
Chill Time: 20-30 minutes
Total Time: 65 minutes
Servings: 24
Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories per serving: XX kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate.
Ingredients
1/2 c butter softened (1 stick‚
1/3 c granulated sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Zest from 1/2 grapefruit
1 tbsp grapefruit juice
1/2 tsp dried rosemary, chopped fine (if using fresh rosemary, 1/4-1/2 tsp is more than enough)
1 1/24 c gluten free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1/4 tsp salt
Topping
1/4 c granulated sugar
Zest from 1/2 grapefruit
Instructions
Mix the topping ingredients into a small bowl and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add the flour and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar and butter. Cream them together 1-2 minutes using the paddle attachment on a stand mixer.
Add in the vanilla, grapefruit zest, grapefruit juice, and minced rosemary. Mix to combine.
Add the flour mixture in two batches mixing slowly to combine. Be careful to not over mix.
Turn the dough out onto a large sheet of parchment paper.
Shape the dough into a log.
Wrap the parchment over the log and use it to
Preheat the oven to 350º. Line a full baking sheet with parchment or a silicon baking mat.
Slice the dough into 1/4” discs and place on a lined baking sheet 1-2” apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Place on a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
Store in an airtight container with parchment or wax paper between each layer of cookies.
Recipe Notes
Extra Sugar
If you want a little extra sweetness, you can use some of the extra sugar and grapefruit zest topping ingredients to sprint on top of the dough before placing in the oven to bake.
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