The Daily Cookie by Anna Ginsberg

Lemon Rosemary Shortbread

Makes about 12 pieces
Veterans Day is a federal holiday honoring those who have served in the armed forces. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day, which was declared on November 11, 1918, with the German signing of the Armistice. Because rosemary is the herb of remembrance, here’s a cookie featuring the classic combination of rosemary and lemon.

¾ cup (3.4 ounces) all-purpose flour
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rice flour (see Baker’s Note)
½ tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons (3 ounces) butter, cut up and room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Grease an 8-inch round metal cake pan and set aside.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, rice flour, lemon zest, rosemary, and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is coarse. Add the vanilla and pulse to mix. Place the dough on a flat surface and shape into a ball. Press into the prepared cake pan and poke holes in the top with the tines of a fork. Chill the dough in the pan for 1 hour or until ready to bake.

3. Preheat the oven to 300°F and place a rack in the center.

4. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, or until set. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Cut into twelve wedges while still warm, then let cool completely in the pan.

Baker’s Note: Rice flour gives shortbread a light and crunchy texture. I use Bob’s Red Mill brand.

Reprinted with permission from:
The Daily Cookie: 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest Year of Your Life
by Anna Ginsberg / Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC
Photography by Allan Penn

Oatmeal Almond Lace Cookies

Makes about 28
My teenage babysitter used to make the best lace cookies. At the time, I didn’t know what they were called, and I’m not so sure she did, either, but I remember that we’d say good-bye to my parents and head straight to the kitchen to make these thin, brittle cookies that she said were a secret family recipe. It wasn’t until many, many years later that I learned they were lace cookies.

½ cup (2.3 ounces) all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
5½ tablespoons (2.75 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup old-fashioned oats
2 tablespoons almonds, toasted and finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the center. Line two large baking sheets with nonstick foil or parchment paper.

2. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a small bowl; set aside.

3. In a medium-size mixing bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter, honey, sugar, cream, and vanilla.

4. Add the flour mixture to the honey mixture and stir until blended, then stir in the oats and almonds.

5. Scoop up by rounded ¼ teaspoonfuls and drop twelve very small rounds on each prepared baking sheet. Make sure to space them at least 2 inches apart, as they will spread quite a bit. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the edges are browned, but keep a close eye on the cookies because lace cookies don’t always bake evenly. Watch the edges; the edges should be very brown, while the middles will still be fairly pale. Let cool completely on the baking sheets, then carefully peel the cookies off the liners.

Baker’s Notes: These delicate cookies might take a little practice. For best results, keep the cookies very small and keep a close eye on them after the first 6 minutes of baking.

Reprinted with permission from:
The Daily Cookie: 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest Year of Your Life
by Anna Ginsberg / Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC
Photography by Allan Penn