Douglas Fir Cookies
Sugar cookies infused with the bright citrusy flavor of fresh Douglas fir needles. A fun, festive way to celebrate winter.
Servings: 16 cookies
Equipment
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (½ cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup Douglas fir needles or other edible conifer needles
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350° F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make fir needle sugar. Place ¾ cup sugar and ¼ cup fir needles in a food processor and process until sugar turns green and aromatic and needles are mostly broken down, 2-3 minutes.
- Scoop out ¼ cup of this fir needle infused sugar and set aside in a small bowl. You'll use this to roll the cookies in before baking.
- Add 2 tsp orange zest to food processor and pulse a a few times to mix with remaining sugar.
- Make cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using electric beaters), cream 4 oz butter until soft, 30 seconds. Add fir needle/orange sugar; beat until well mixed and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Add 1 egg and 1 tbsp orange juice; mix well. Add 1 ¼ cup flour, ½ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp cardamom. Mix on low until just combined.
- Roll in sugar. Scoop cookie dough into balls using a small (approx. 1 tbsp) scoop. Roll each cookie dough ball in the ¼ cup infused sugar that you set aside, tossing to coat all sides. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and flatten dough lightly with your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Bake. Bake cookies until golden and set on the edges, about 9-11 minutes. Allow to cool a few minutes before removing from baking sheet.