I have a massive stash of tea in my pantries – tea bags, loose, tins, bulk bags – accumulated both locally and from my travels. I like tea, what can I say? Not long ago, I was looking for a particular type amidst the stash and came across a small jar of tiny, beautifully pink rosebuds I’d purchased in Chinatown. I opened the jar and took a whiff … lovely! It was like sticking my nose in a summer rose bush. What could I do with these? Could I work them into my cookie project? Oh yes I could.
Thinking of those rose buds led me to rose water, an interesting flavor used frequently in Middle Eastern baking. It can be quite polarizing, sometimes lending an overly floral, potpourri flavor but used sparingly and correctly, it can be quite nice. I crushed some of the buds and mixed them into the dough with just a touch of rose water. Interesting but not quite there. It needed something else so to round out the flavor and prevent the cookie from tasting like a Yankee Candle, I added cardamom and finely chopped pistachios. Perfect! This one is ideal as a slice-and-bake log, each slice dipped in a little sugar for an extra crunch.
STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: ROSES ARE PINK. This is such a lovely cookie, maybe just a touch feminine even. It is the ultimate tea party cookies. Now here is where I urge some caution: go easy on the rose water. Christmas cookies should be delicious not reminiscent of the fancy soaps in your guest bathroom.
2016 One Dough/12 Days of Cookies lineup: Butter Rum Bars, Candied Ginger Spice Buttons, Coconut Lime Sticks, Cranberry Pistacho Coins, Dark Chocolate Mocha Sandwich Cookies, Hazelnut Buttons, Jam Thumbprints, Mexican Chocolate Crinkles, Pecan Triangles, Peppermint Crisps, Rosemary Apricot Shortbread, Russian Tea Cakes
2017 One Dough/12 Days of Cookies lineup to date:
Basic Butter Cookie Dough + planning tips
Day 1 – Cream Cheese Wreaths
Day 2 – Raspberry Linzer Bars
Day 3 – Lemon Poppyseed Buttons
Day 4 – Chocolate Cocoa Nib Wafers
Day 5 – Mexican Wedding Cookies
Day 6 – Orange Sandwich Cookies
Day 7 – Raspberry Chocolate Drops
Day 8 – Blueberry Lime Buttons
CARDAMON ROSE COINS
Look for food grade dried rose buds or rose petals online or in tea shops, particularly those in Chinatowns. I’ve also seen them in a few Whole Foods and health food stores near the bulk ingredients or by the loose leaf teas. Rose water can be found in Middle Eastern stores or by the extracts in better grocery stores, or online.
Basic butter cookie dough – recipe here
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the room temperature cookie dough, rose petals, pistachios, rose water, cardamom and a pinch of salt until well combined.
- Roll the dough a piece of plastic wrap into a nice round log, around 5 ½” long. (for the larger batches divide the dough into 2 or 4 pieces first.)
- Chill at least 4 hours or overnight (or freeze logs up to 3 months).
- When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2-3 sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Place some sugar in a shallow bowl and set aside.
- With a sharp thin knife, cut the log into ¼” thick coins, rotating the log frequently to keep one side from flattening. If the dough is frozen, give it a few minutes to soften just a little to cut cleanly.
- Dip one side of the coin into sugar and place, sugar side up, 1” apart on parchment lined sheet pans.
- Bake 8-10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through until lightly golden brown. Watch carefully – these burn quickly.
STRESSCAKE 
Oh these look just perfect. Thank you for the recipe!