How to Make Pansy Topped Shortbread Cookies
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4.7
How to Make Pansy Topped Shortbread Cookies
Description
How to Make Pansy Topped Shortbread Cookies blends the rich simplicity of traditional shortbread with the delicate touch of fresh, pressed pansy flowers on top. The dough consists of room-temperature butter, sugar, all-purpose flour, and vanilla extract or paste, gently combined in a food processor and then chilled into a firm disk for rolling. While the dough chills, the pansies are pressed flat between parchment and weighted to prepare them for baking.
After rolling out the dough to between 1/8" and 1/4" thickness, the cookies are cut and topped with the flattened flowers before baking at a moderate temperature. This ensures the cookies stay tender and the pansies dry nicely on top, becoming a subtle, natural embellishment. The texture of the shortbread remains rich, buttery, and crisp but tender, a perfect balance for a decorative treat.
These cookies work well as elegant tea treats or delicate gifts, with the floral topping lending a thoughtful presentation. The recipe allows some flexibility in the size of the cookie cutter used. Pressing the pansies beforehand is essential to prevent moisture affecting the dough and to retain the flowers’ shape during baking.
Using lemon sugar or lemon extract in place of vanilla creates a bright citrus variation. Chilling the dough adequately helps maintain the shapes and prevents spreading while baking. Pansies should be fresh and edible, free of pesticides if sourcing from outside.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks) at room temperature, unsalted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, pure
- pansy you'll need about 30, give or take, assorted fresh
Instructions
- Put the sugar and soft butter into the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine completely.
- Add the flour and extract, and pulse about 10 times, then run the machine briefly, just until the dough comes together into a lump or lumps.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and bring together into a smooth flat disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 2 hours.
- While the dough is chilling, remove the stems from the pansies, and place them on a large sheet of waxed paper, or parchment paper. Place another sheet on top, and then weigh it down with a baking tray or other large flat surface, topped with several heavy books. Let the pansies press for at least 30 minutes, or overnight if you like.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325F
- Roll out the dough to a 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out with a cookie cutter. I used both a 2 inch and a 2 1/2 inch cutter.
- Bake the cookies in batches, 1 tray at a time. Bake the smaller cookies for 7-8 minutes, and the larger ones for 9-11 minutes, depending on thickness. Your cookies will not brown, they will be pale and soft when done.
- Remove the tray from the oven and gently press the flat pansies onto the hot cookies, pressing slightly to adhere the flowers to the cookies. Don't press too hard, the heat of the cookies will do the job. Sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar. Let the cookies cool completely on a rack.
- Note: the cookies will be soft when they come out of the oven, but will firm up as they cool.
Notes
- Press pansy flowers flat at least 30 minutes before baking to dry and shape them.
- Chill dough until firm to make rolling and cutting easier and to control spread during baking.
- For a lemony twist, substitute vanilla with lemon extract or lemon paste and use citrus sugar instead of regular sugar.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 123 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 123kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 12g | 4% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 20mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 1mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 14mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 236IU | 5% |
| Calcium | 4mg | 0% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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Overall Rating
4.7
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