Lemony Shortbread with Sumac Glaze
Pucker up!
Welcome, welcome, to all the new subscribers! I’m so happy to have you all here!
And bienvenue to 2023’s cookie #2. (I’m writing this from France!)
Wow, there sure is a lot of cookie content out there, so I really appreciate you coming to me for your recipes and inspiration. Here is my humble entry to the canon. I don’t think any cookie collection is complete without some shortbread, since shortbread is what many people think of when they think “cookie.” The dough is endlessly versatile, and morphable into many different flavors and shapes. And so damn delicious!
I’m doling out a little bit of my cookie philosophy with every newsletter this year, since I have so many thoughts on the subject. As I work, I think a lot about the criteria that I use to judge a good cookie. As you may have noticed, I’m not a sprinkles person, but occasionally a tasteful white nonpareil or well chosen sprinkle (I prefer to call them Jimmies, being a Philly girl) might adorn an edge here or there. I do try to include at least one iced cookie (with a twist) in each collection, because I know some of you NEED to have iced cookies in your boxes or on your platters. They’re a great way to bring some color and whimsy in and provide a fun activity for you, your kids, or the kid in you. They are, incidentally, usually the first cookies kids grab!
My main criteria is that a cookie tastes amazing, and tempts you to have another, and another, and … well, you get it — they have to be more-ish. These shortbread cookies fulfill that criteria in spades. The first time I made them, I thought I had too much dough for the pan I was using, because they were so thick and soft. But when I switched to a shallower pan that resulted in a crisper, thinner cookie, I realized that what I really loved about these was the thickness and the softness of them. They are almost cakelike (Ted Lasso vibes?). I used some rice flour in these to give them a melt-in-your-mouth quality, but if you don’t have any or don’t want to buy it, you can also use cornstarch for the same effect. OR just use all all-purpose flour — they will still be delicious.
Another principle that I try to adhere to? That the cookies have good keeping qualities and can be packed in a tin or box without getting ruined, or ruining other cookies. Many of you are doing multi-recipe cookie baking projects, and packing them to give as gifts, or even to ship, so this is really important. For more info on this, see my Great Big Cookie Guide for tips. The glaze on these cookies dries to a glossy sheen, and I can guarantee that they pack well. I transported some in my suitcase, wedged between my sweaters so I could deliver some to my host here in Paris. I left them in the freezer so he could enjoy them when he returns home.
Finally, a bit more about this cookie. Though I’m conditioned by years of recipe development for the masses, with trepidatious editors who like to censor what they consider to be “weird” ingredients, I have no one putting those kinds of strictures on me here. A few of you asked for unusual flavors in our cookie thread a few weeks ago, which emboldened me even further. I am not the kind of person who throws in an unexpected ingredient just for the sake of it though — it must serve a purpose!
These cookies are iced with a sumac glaze. Sumac has a lemony and fruity flavor that is just perfect here, and looks really pretty too. The cookies will still be delicious with just lemon juice to flavor the glaze — the sumac just adds that little something extra. Chances are you already have some in your pantry, and, if you don’t, it’s much easier to find now than it used to be! Check out your grocery store spice rack; it may just surprise you. They even have it at Walmart. Use it whenever you want to add some fruity, lemony tang to just about anything. Also note, there are two kinds of sumac generally available — cured sumac with a little bit of salt, or plain sumac. I tried both when testing this recipe, and they both tasted really good. I was hoping the sumac would tint the icing pink, which it does, very subtly, especially if you let it sit a while before using, but I decided in the end to add some beet powder to tint it. This ingredient will be making another appearance in the coming weeks, so maybe order some now? Or just use some of McCormick’s natural food coloring, available in every supermarket? It also uses beets!
I hope you like these and make them soon. They only take a few minutes to whip up, and one batch makes quite a few!