On certain lousy days, there are two very specific things I like to do. Make a huge mug of coffee and laugh with FRIENDS back to back or put on an apron and surrender myself to flour. As I sift, mix and blend flavors, I build up this expectation that when the hot oven starts spreading the fresh baking aroma, it would change the crappy-me to happy-me. The kitchen is definitely a mess by then, but the effort works most of the time, unless of course what comes out of the oven looks worse than my state of mind. In that case, I switch off the light, don’t bother to clean up for the moment and go back to watching two more episodes of FRIENDS and call it a day.
Thankfully, a good baking day arrives more often than awful days and luckily; baking to me is not only therapeutic but also entertaining.
I have had several baking disasters in the past and most of the times it would be while baking cookies. I haven’t burnt cookies yet but very often, the end result would turn out to be hard as a rock that could knock someone down with one straight hit. Not that I have tried, but I am pretty sure it might do that. And every time that happened, I would be disappointed thinking about the wastage of food and energy. Looking at a brighter side, there was learning at every step and eventually my techniques improved. These days, we relish more and fear less of our teeth getting chipped.
Shortbread biscuits, butter cookies or butter biscuits as I like to call them, are filled with fresh rosemary and fennel seeds, a flavor composition that worked wonderfully. These are not the kind of biscuits that you dip in soup, but a mix of sweet and savory that goes perfect with tea or coffee. The fennel seeds added a sweet aroma and the pungent rosemary avoided the cookies from getting overly sweet. It was crumbly and melted in our mouths.
I played my favorite guessing game with Arvind after he ate the first one. He goes “fennel plus that herb” and even before I could ask him which one, he took out a couple marshmallows, toasted it on the stovetop using a fork and made a sandwich with the biscuits.
Huh! That was fun. I guess good butter biscuits always help the child inside us wake up and play around. Later at night, we sat with more of these biscuits and a huge mug of hot chocolate. Successful baking and delightful treat, it was a beautiful day!
Rosemary and Fennel Butter Biscuits
Ingredients
- 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1-½ cup butter (softened at room temperature)
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon crushed fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix flour, cornstarch, fennel seeds, rosemary and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk butter with sugar until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Pour half of the dry mixture to the butter mixture and give it a mix. Pour the rest and mix till it all comes together. Do not over mix it.
- Using an ice cream scooper, scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the dough and place it in the baking sheet. Place the scooped dough about an inch apart. Flatten the scooped dough slightly using your hand or back of a spoon.
- Bake it for about 17 minutes or until the edges turn light brown in color.
- Leave the biscuits in the baking sheet for 5 more minutes before you move them to the cooling wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Elizabeth
I love fennel and rosemary but would never have thought to put the two together, will have to give them a try.
Tanvi@SinfullySpicy
I totally love the flavor combo you used here.Never used fennel in cookies, wondering how these will taste. I m so like you when it comes to baking, I rarely experiment now for the fear of wastage, make & remake tried recipes 🙂
Vanille
Agree with you on the therapeutic effect of baking. And what a reward afterwards. Flavour-wise we have been on the same wavelength it seems 😉
Shema George
These gorgeous cookies have won my heart and so did the clicks!! Loved the way you have explained your baking venture... was an interesting read 🙂
Charul @ Tadka Masal
Loved the pics Kankana! They would be a absolute delight with hot chocolate!
Lail | With A Spin
Very original flavors! I share your past cookie baking experience during my teen years 😉
erin @ yummy supper
Kankana, I love the savory sweet thing you have going in these biscuits. Yum!
Wishing you a good week,
E
indugetscooking
I think the pics look quite striking with the dark background! And so agree when you say that baking has therapeutic effect.
Rose Magpies Recipes
Beautiful beautiful beautiful! Such a delicious pairing.I would come all the way over for these!
reese@SeasonwithSpic
Rosemary & fennel are such great pair in savory biscuits. You make them look extra tasty, Kankana.
Soma
They look so fresh and crisp.
Abbe@ThisIsHowICook
I too, bake for the same reasons. Sounds like your day improved which is a good thing!
Pamela
Can I use dried rosemary instead of fresh ones... Or will the flavors be lost
Kankana Saxena
I don't mind using dried herbs in cookies. If you don't find any fresh ones, go ahead and do that. The flavor might not be the same but it still won't be bad since fennel would add to the flavor. May be you can add more fennel and less rosemary.
Arch
What lovely flavours and such a pretty biscuit jar ! These biscuits look perfect. Working with flour and getting successful results always makes us happy 🙂
Pri!
Yum Yum Yummity Yum! ... what are you doing, NOT baking for me!!?
This us unacceptable! ...
Deeksha: da-da-da-daaaa..aaaa. (meaning: I agree with mommy, you better bake me some when my teeth arrive!)
Kankana Saxena
Pri 🙂 I want to bake for you babe and for my lil angel too! Hopefully someday. You guys should make a trip this side. It would be FUN!
Sarvani
Fennel and rosemary!! thats interesting.. a combination to keep in mind for nxt time i wanna bake biscuits!!
Rosa
Wonderful biscuits! That is such an original flavor combination. And the pictures are as gorgeous as always...
Cheers,
Rosa
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
What scrumptious savory biscuits! Your photos are so beautiful!
nags
What a feast to the eyes your posts are 🙂
Reem | Simply Reem
Beautiful!
All the pictures are beautiful but I am specially loving the third one with fennel and rosemary.
Are these ind of savory nan-khati kind... They have always been my dad's favorite... Mine too 😉
Delicious!