I like cookies that are easy to make, fun to serve and pack a lot of flavor, especially the flavors of tarragon, lime and white chocolate. December is the month for home baked cookies, for the most part cookies baked with the Christmas holidays and sharing with friends and family firmly in mind. My tarragon, lime and white chocolate cookies are not the usual holiday cookies but that might be what is special about them. The white chocolate lime frosting may be slightly holiday related.
I love to bake cookies in December, although I baked these back in October and never got around to posting them but I’m sharing them today because they are so good and maybe, who knows -they might turn out to be a cookie suitable for Christmas after all.
Another thing about these cookies that I like is a chance to use the fresh tarragon from my garden that even after several weeks of cold Fall nights-is still attractive- pretty, green and lush. Good enough to use in a batch of cookies and good enough to throw a few sprigs into a roast chicken. Now that I’ve pulled out all my wilted basil, some of the other herbs in the garden are looking pretty good, like thyme and it’s still fun to use them in the kitchen. Even though the herb garden may be more out of sight and out of mind this time of year, living in California with our climate gives us ready access to many fresh herbs in our gardens year round. I’m going to take advantage of that whenever possible, so if you have your own herb patch that’s available-great- if not, search for fresh tarragon and limes in your market, I’ll bet you will find them in the produce section and it might bring a little sunshine to your kitchen even when the days are short and the nights are cold.
Happy start of December and let the holiday baking begin, if you care to comment please let me know what kinds of cookies you like to bake and share this month.
Adapted from Baked Elements by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (226grams) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon lime zest (from 1 lime)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 2 cups (256 grams) all-purpose flour
- for the White Chocolate Lime Frosting
- 4.4 ounces (125 grams) Lindt Classic Recipe White Chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime zest, zest in small strips (from 1 lime)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars together on medium speed until light and creamy.
- Beat in the salt, tarragon, lime zest and juice on medium speed until combined, about 30-40 seconds.
- Add the flour on low speed and beat until just combined, scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Chill the dough for about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C).
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Using a small (2") scoop form dough balls and gently press flat as you place on baking sheets.
- Place the dough balls about 1" apart-you should have 12 cookies on each sheet.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes, until edges just start to turn light brown.
- Remove to wire racks and cool cookies.
- to make the White Chocolate Lime Frosting
- Melt the chopped white chocolate, either using short bursts in a microwave or on top of the stove using double boiler method.
- Using a small offset spatula frost the cookies and lightly sprinkle with lime zest.
- Allow the frosting to firm up before serving.
Baden Baden
