These Rosemary Shortbread Cookies with White Chocolate Cranberry Ganache are the perfect mix between sweet and savory. The Rosemary Shortbread dough is simple to put together, requiring minimal ingredients. It’s slightly sweet, a little salty, and packed with delicious rosemary. The White Chocolate Cranberry Ganache is absolutely decadent, highlighting the festive seasonal berry.
I have never met a shortbread cookie I didn’t like. I mean, come on. What’s not to like?
Butter.
Flour.
Sugar.
Salt.
That’s basically it.
I love how unfussy they are, how savory they can be, and how simple they are to pull together.
And oh, when rosemary is added to the mix?
GOOD NIGHT!
I love when herbs are used in unexpected ways. And I know, I know. It’s not like rosemary in baked good is a unheard of, but I would argue that a number of people would say, “Hmm….” when I tell the I’m brining Rosemary Shortbread as a dessert.
Not that my mother reacted this way when I told her what I was bringing to bake at our annual Cookie Bake during the holidays.
On Sunday.
But I promise – everyone will LOVE these! Especially people who claim they, “don’t really like dessert”.
Do you also not like SUNSHINE? Like, who are you.
Cue “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”.
These little morsels get a healthy dollop of White Chocolate Cranberry Ganache, which is what makes them EXTRA.
You could use the ganache to drizzle over the shortbread, but I loved the idea of doing a thumbprint cookie. Because thumbprint cookies are the BEST, and happen to be my favorite.
Oh, and do you know about my thumbs? Just take a scroll through my Instagram, and you’ll see em’.
I’ll just say this: my thumbs make the BEST freaking thumbprint cookies. Because they’re big. And wide. And beautiful.
But your thumbs will do just fine.
These cookies add a little extra whimsy to your dessert platter that you’ll inevitably have out at every gathering this holiday season. Everyone knows what a Peanut Butter Blossom or Sugar Cookie Cutout looks like. But these?
Let the questions rollllll in.
What cookies have you made this holiday season? Will these be added to your lineup? Comment below and let me know!
Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the rosemary shortbread:
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
- 1 lemon zested
For the White Chocolate Cranberry Ganache:
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup cream
- 1 cup white chocolate baking chips
Instructions
For the rosemary shortbread:
- Add room temperature butter to bowl of stand mixer. Mix until light and airy, about 3 minutes. Add confectioners sugar and almond extract, mixing for an additional 2 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix flour, salt, lemon zest, and fresh rosemary in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing until dough comes together. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Remove dough from refrigerator, and roll in to uniform 1/2 inch balls. Indent the top of each ball with your thumb. Transfer to parchment lined baking sheets, and refrigerate until firm - at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
For the White Chocolate Cranberry Ganache:
- In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, and water. Heat over medium heat, allowing to cook down, about 15 minutes, watching closely.
- In a medium, microwave safe bowl, add cream. Microwave for 60-90 seconds, until very hot. Remove from microwave carefully, and add white chocolate to bowl. Allow chocolate to melt, leaving the bowl untouched for at least 2 minutes.
- Once cranberries have cooked down, see notes below for options to combine cranberries with white chocolate.
- Once cookies are cooled, top with ganache and allow to completely cool.
Notes
- Once cranberries are cooked down, use a fine mesh sieve or strainer to strain the liquid from the cranberries in the to cream and white chocolate mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine.
- Once cranberries are cooked down, transfer to a for processor or blender, and blend until a completely pureed. Add puree to white chocolate and cream mixture, stirring to combine. This option will result in a. stronger cranberry flavor.