We have an abundance of rosemary growing on our property. If we’re not diligent, the rosemary will easily escape us and become unwieldy and unmanageable because it thrives very well out here. I love the smell of this perennial herb and enjoy using its flavorful and fragrant gifts in culinary delights, but I don’t use it nearly enough.
I’ve been wanting to make these cookies since coming across this recipe about 5 months ago. What held me back is the criminal price for pine nuts (pignolias) in the markets. Does anyone know why the price has skyrocketed within the last year for these buttery pine nuts? Alas, I’m weary of hoarding my small bag of pine nuts for a rainy day and decided to go-for-it!
Lately I’ve been attracted to more savory-type baking and these pine nut cookies really fit the bill. As you might imagine with the use of rosemary, ginger, pine nuts and olive oil in the cookie dough, there’s a rusticness, but wholesome sophistication to these cookies. It has a good texture with a nutty and buttery undertone due to the pine nuts grounded up as meal. You can easily opt to skip sprinkling sanding/baker’s sugar on each cookie before baking. These really are fine tea cookies or the perfect treat with after-dinner coffee.
On another note – notice the title of this post? “Pine Nut Cookies with Rosemary & Ginger” It could also be read like this is an article on eating pine nut cookies with my friends, Rosemary & Ginger – couldn’t it?
- The cookie dough spreads a lot. I found that baking 12 cookies per regular sized baking sheet was perfect.
- I didn’t find much of a difference when I flattened each cookie and when I didn’t, with regards to the final baked outcome.
- For even better results, refrigerate the dough overnight.
- If you have non-aircushioned baking sheets, preferably use those instead. This could make a difference if you prefer a thicker cookie (so that it doesn’t spread as much).
- Optionally: Add some coarsely chopped pine nuts to the cookie dough -OR- roll the cookie dough ball in pine nuts before baking.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies
3 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cups pine nuts, toasted
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 large egg
Fine sanding sugar (baker’s sugar), for sprinkling
Pine Nuts for placing in middle of each cookie
Using a food processor, finely chop rosemary. Add the pine nuts and pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer this mixture to a medium-sized bowl. Mix in 2 cups of the flour, baking soda, ginger and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and granulated sugar until it’s pale and fluffy; about 5 minutes. Mix in the olive oil. Reduce the speed and mix in the flour mixture. Add the cream and mix only until combined. Mix in the egg and the remaining 1/4 cup of flour.
For better results, refrigerate the dough for at least two hours to overnight.
Baking
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or use silicone baking mats.
Shape the cookie dough into 3/4-inch balls or drop with a medium-sized cookie scoop. Space cookies at least 2 inches apart (they will spread).
Lightly flatten each cookie with the palm of your hand (optional).
Top each cookie with a pine nut or two and sprinkle with sanding/baker’s sugar.
Bake cookies for about 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking time.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.
{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }
How decadent! Pine nuts are pretty pricey here too. But your cookies look so worth that price!
I love rosemary but unfortunately my plant dies every year when I bring it in for the winter. A new one brought in the spring. I’m interested in the rosemary and ginger combo.
If I had to pick a name, I’d be a Ginger – for sure.
They look and sound delicious what a great flavor combo.
Pine nuts really have gone up drastically in price. I read it was a combination of bad crops, climate changes, and increased demand in China (large supplier other than US).
I do love them, and know the ginger and rosemary combination would be wonderful in these little cookies :)
These are so delightful…I have half a yard of rosemary as well, lovely cookies!
The photography in this post is really amazing! You really made to cookies look elegant, yet so edible! Great post!
Scrumptious cookies! So aromatic and delightful with rosemary and ginger, a wonderful combination of flavors!
Cristina, I have rosemary growing all over my yard, too. In fact, it’s all over the neighborhood. I never have to buy any. I’ve only ever used them in savory recipes, though. Thanks for inspiring me to use them in something sweet like these delightful cookies. I love the addition of the ginger, too–so addicted to it right now. :-)
These are amazing. I love the savory elements you’ve added to your cookies. They sound delicious. This is my first visit to your site and I’ve spent some time browsing through your earlier entries. I really like the food and recipes you feature here and I’ll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
These look really yummy and remind me of a recipe I’ve seen recently in an Italian cookbook! Savory cookies- yum.
I love these! Perfect ingredients and they remind me of a pine nut cookie that is made in Lebanon with an egg white batter similar to macarons.
Received a tweet on this recipe…yum! Can’t wait for Passover to be over so I can make them. I also have a huge rosemary bush and very fortunately can harvest it all year long even when snow is a foot deep.
I agree with you that the price of pine nuts is ridiculous these days! Pecans as well. But I’ll break down and buy the pinenuts to do this recipe! Thanks for a great post!
Wow those look incredible – I love the idea of a cookie that is more savory that sweet. Beautiful job!
That’s funny, I would never had noticed that about the title if you hadn’t mentioned it. I think you’re right the price of pine nuts has gone up and so have pistachios I’ve noticed. I think you made a wise choice in using those precious pine nuts in these cookies, they look so delicate and buttery.
I never tried making cookies with rosemary. That’s an interesting idea worth exploring. Love it!
Pine nuts are so expensive! I wish I had an inexpensive source because they are so good! These cookies sound like flavor magic. I love using rosemary in my baked goods (we have a bush in the backyard) so I’m eager to try these. Thanks for sharing, sweet girl.
I’d say eating pine nut cookies with your friend red kathy, forget rosemary and ginger! They sound wonderful. My grandmother made cookies with rosemary and anise. They were melt in your mouth delish. These look like they would be the same way. The pine nuts are ridiculous, I can but them. I hate to be negative but very soon many food items we enjoy will be out of sight expensive so get ready for it!
These look so nice and crisp, and I love the interesting combination of flavors here. Pine nuts, mmmm!
Cristina, how interesting these cookies, rosemary and ginger…so exotic flavors. I’d love to try it…they look so cute. Have a great week ahead :-)
I like baking and cookies that use ingredients like this. You’ve captured the cookies and the lighting so well by giving it a “feeling” of where the cookies are.
just beautiful and your pictures are amazing! congrats on top 9 – well deserved!
Your cookies look lovely. Just right for when you’re in that savory mood!
I absolutely love the flavor combination you used .. I am not much of a sweet tooth and most cookie recipe are full of chocolate chips :) This is going straight to my wish list !
Hi Kankana: If you enjoy the idea of savory cookies, then you’ll will more than likely love these! You can even opt to not sprinkle the sanding/baker’s sugar on them. They’re on my favs list! Please let me know if you give ‘em a try too. =)
Hi Cristina,
I love the way you styled and photographed these cookies. You made these cookies looking like, if I may – - super models! I mean the lighting, and the details in the shadows. Amazing Cristina, really amazing!
Have a great weekend.
Ray
LOL! Hi Ray: Thank you so much for the kind words on the lighting…I had a lot of fun with these images and I’ve always been more attracted to food photography with this type of moody feel…I’m starting to follow my heart and shoot in this style more. ;o) Thank you again for the comment!
Mmmm…I love savory cookies. And rosemary is one of my favorite herbs. I have garden envy, just so’s you know. Your cookies are ace, thanks for sharing!
Thanks Parsley Sage – I’m with you about savory cookies. They’re my new luv ;)
Cristina, these cookies look amazing and I love the unique flavor combo you used. I made lemon-thyme cookies once and they were such a different but delicious change of pace. Thanks for sharing! I hope you have a great weekend.
Thanks Georgia: Mmmm – I’m gonna look up those lemon-thyme cookies you’ve mentioned on your blog. I’d like to try that!
Last year we had lots of rosemary too, but I guess the dears ate it, or something, since slowly disappeared. I planted new one few weeks ago in a pot of the back deck and it seems to be growing quite well.
I love fresh rosemary, sometimes I pick few sprigs and put them in water and place them in different parts of the house. Smells great.
Your cookies sounds like a perfect addition to a cup of tea. love the hint of ginger. Thanks for sharing Cristina , hope you’ll have a wonderful weekend
Thanks Roxana: I know you probably don’t think so, but how cool to have deer! We have a smaller version of a deer…rabbits! They are pests and determine what I can and cannot plant. :(
I love the small of rosemary. mmm. These look amazing. I love all the flavors. Wow!
Thanks Lora! =)
I wonder if you place the dough in the fridge for 30 min. before baking if it would still spread a lot. That’s quite a nice combination of flavors.
Hi Helene: 30 minutes in the fridge should be fine too. I seem to have a problem with recipes that have a lot of butter and using an air-cushioned baking sheet – they spread too much. Maybe the difference too, is whether or not you have a convection oven (as I don’t). I was happy how these cookies turned out, though. The thickness was perfect. ;)
What beautiful cookies! I love rosemary just as much as I love basil. I just planted rosemary in my garden yesterday and this will be the first recipe I make with it. In fact, I think I have some pine nuts that I have been hoarding in my pantry :)
Hi Dee: Did you plant your Genovese basil? I haven’t planted mine yet…will probably do so this weekend. Can’t wait to see what you do with the rosemary ;)
Thanks for sharing your lovely recipe. We also have Rosemary in the garden and it’s blooming like crazy right now. I was just thinking about doing something with the flowers but cookies are probably even better;-)
Hi Pachecopatty: I don’t think we have a lot of flowers on the our rosemary. They’re usually really small flowers and almost not noticeable. Don’t you just love the smell of rosemary, though? I’m on the lookout for more recipes like this one :)
Wow these cookies look delicious! I love food that has ginger as a hint. We have lots of rosemary too. I have never seen or had cookies with rosemary. So innovative! I actually have pine nuts in my pantry because I don’t know what else to use it besides salad. I didn’t know the price went up. Have a great weekend!
Hi Nami: Thanks for visiting! Yeah, I don’t remember having used rosemary in cookies before these…but they turned out so good. I don’t know what happened to the price of pine nuts, but it’s almost out of control. ;)