If you're looking for some fantastic cookies that use fresh herbs in the ingredients ... check out my
Made at Home Cooking Column from years past in the Southern Illinoisan! These are easy to make ... and very good! I've added the recipes below the picture, if you want to skip the article!
Lemon-Thyme Wafers (pictured standing in stemmed glass upper right)
1 cup soft butter
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
2½ cups flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon salt
Grated rind of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
Cream butter and sugar, adding eggs; blend well. Sift flour, cream of tartar and salt together and slowly blend it into the creamed ingredients. Stir in thyme and lemon rind. Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface and cut it into wafers. Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from the cookie sheet while still warm and completely cool on a rack. Makes 4 dozen.
Mint Crispies (pictured back left)
1 cup of soft butter
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Cream butter and sugar. Sift salt and flour together and add slowly to the butter mixture. Wrap and chill dough for 1 hour. Roll into small balls; roll the balls in additional sugar and place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool on a rack. Makes 3 dozen.
Old-Fashioned Seed Cookies (pictured outside edge of round tray in front)
1 cup soft butter
1 ½ cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons caraway seed
Glaze:
2 cups powered sugar
Juice of half an orange
Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add extract and orange peel. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the creamed mixture. Mix in caraway seed. Wrap and chill dough 4 hours. Roll into small balls and place on greased cookie sheets. Press each ball slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool. While still warm, drizzle with glaze and sprinkle with caraway seeds. Makes 5 dozen.
Pineapple-Sage Cookies (pictured middle of round tray in front)
¾ cup soft butter
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pineapple extract
1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh pineapple sage leaves
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
Juice of a small lemon
Cream butter, sugar and egg. Add extract, lemon rind and lemon juice. Sift flour, baking soda and salt and gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Stir in the chopped sage leaves. Wrap and chill dough for 1 hour. Roll into small finger shapes and place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool. When cool, dip ends of cookies into a glaze. made with 2 cups of powdered sugar and the juice of a small lemon. Makes 5 dozen.
