Rosemary Chocolate Chip Shortbread

I don’t even know where to start. These are amazing. How could they not be? They are sugar, butter, rosemary, chocolate chips… Sorry, I don’t want to get ahead of myself, the recipe is below.

I adapted this recipe from Melissa d’Arabian to fit our health choices and what I had on hand. I used fresh rosemary and turbinado instead of sugar.

But, the rosemary, it just adds the most unique twist to this very simple and tasty cookie. Combine it with chocolate chips, wow. It is light, crunchy, slightly sweet, and has just a hint of the rosemary aroma in each bite. This recipe doesn’t make a lot, but it is so flavorful and satisfying, you don’t need much. I think this is best with a cup of hot tea, late in the afternoon when the kids are down for a nap. Oh, and with a good book, sitting on the couch. My perfect afternoon.

Rosemary Chocolate Chip Shortbread

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened to room temperature
1/4 cup turbinado (or sugar)
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar with a handheld mixer. Add the rosemary, salt, and flour, about 1/4 cup at a time. Sprinkle in the chocolate chips, and stir by hand until

Gather the dough into a ball.
Cook’s Note: If the dough begins to soften or feel greasy, chill the dough for 15 minutes.

Roll the dough out into a rectangle of 1/2-inch thickness and cut into rectangles about 1/2-inch by 2-inch.

Place the dough on a cold ungreased baking sheet.

Bake the shortbread for 25 minutes, or until the dough starts to turn a golden color. Remove the shortbread from the baking sheet and let cool completely on a rack.