Butter, rye flour, almond flour, sugar, and Spicewalla. Name a more indulgently rich group of ingredients-- I’ll wait. Not only are these cookies delectable, they’re the perfect quick and easy cookie that’s unique enough to bring to the holiday swap or your favorite judgemental Mother-in-laws’ Thanksgiving dinner. Rye flour lends a distinctly nutty and wholesome flavor to these shortbread.
I baked mine in a rectangular tart pan to make them a bit more fancy with the scalloped edge, but feel free to use whatever simple round or square pan you have on hand. The beauty in shortbread is the ease and versatility, so I implore you to enjoy them with a scoop of ice cream, your afternoon tea (coffee in my case), or crumbled over roasted apples. I can attest to their delicious adaptability as they stepped in exceedingly well when I needed a crumb crust for a quick cheesecake. Graham cracker who?
I hope everyone is having a lovely Fall, and finding time to rest and restore during the transition into crisp, colder months. I hope this is only the start of cookie recipes to come! Don’t mind me cringing while I try to contemplate how it’s already time to think about the holiday season.
When you’re feeling down as I tend to during short, frigid days, reach for your favorite sweaters, forage pine branches and dried stems to make a bountiful winter arrangement, and indulge in the ample amount of baking opportunities that abound. I’ve been deep diving into the world of European Holiday traditions and recipes, and I’m absolutely obsessed with Anja Dunk’s new book “Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas” which will certainly be in use far beyond the end of the year.
lastly, I’d like to thank Spicewalla for inspiring these warmly spiced cookies, and for feeding my creativity when it comes to playing with flavors and color in the kitchen. You’ve must get your hands on some of their beautiful spices, and if you need a last minute gift for the baker in your life (or yourself), I couldn’t recommend anything better than the Southern Ground Pastry Collection, that includes the baking trifecta: Cardamom, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg.
If you’re baking with Spicewalla this season, be sure to share your creations with #spicewallabakeoff for a chance to win a whole suite of glorious spices.
Yield and Time:
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cook Time: 45 minutes
8” round tart pan, 7” square pan, or a 14”x 4.5” rectangular tart pan with removable bottom
INGREDIENTS:
butter, for greasing pan, or parchment
1/2 cup of unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small cubes
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of wholemeal rye flour
1 cup of almond flour
1/2 tsp Spicewalla Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Spicewalla Ground Green Cardamom Powder
Coarse brown sugar or extra granulated sugar, for topping
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 325 F degrees. Grease your pan with butter or line with parchment.
Using your mixer, beat together the cubed butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the rye flour, almond flour, cardamom, and cinnamon to the mixture. Beat together till dough forms.
Using your hands, gather the dough together and press into a smooth ball.
Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Using a fork, prick holes evenly over the surface, pressing right through the dough.
Score the dough with a knife to create light indentations to form individual triangles (if using a round pan) or rectangles (if using a square pan).
Bake the shortbread for 40–45 minutes, until the edges begin to look golden brown and the center has puffed slightly..
Remove cookies from the oven and cut all the way through the scored slices again.
Leave in the pan until cold.
