Simply Breakfast

Evergreen Shortbread Cookies (adapted from Organic & Chic by Sarah Magid and dipped in chocolate and sea salt by Jen Causey of Simply Breakfast)
Makes about 2 dozen cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 packet of Douglas Fir Spring Tips tea*
• Green food dye (optional)

*The company Juniper Ridge carries this kind of tea and it’s delicious—lemony with just enough Douglas Fir aroma to subtly remind you that it’s wintertime. If you can’t find Douglas Fir tea, you could substitute with Earl Grey or any other tea blend you like.

Whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer at medium speed until it’s pale and fluffy, about five minutes. Then, at a speed low enough that you won’t create a giant flour cloud, slowly add the flour/salt mixture to the butter and sugar. Just before it’s completely blended, add the loose tea from its packet/tea bag. If you’re feeling festive, add a few drops of green food dye. (I have this gel kind of dye, and for a light green color, I only need two drops.) Continue mixing until well blended.

I like to slice these cookies into nice little ovals. In order to do this, lay plastic wrap on your work surface and place the dough on top. Shape the dough into a log, and then wrap it up well. Once it’s wrapped, you can shape it a bit more before chilling it in the refrigerator for at least thirty minutes.

Towards the end of the thirty minutes, preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough and cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange them about 1 1/2 inches apart from one another. Place the baking sheets in the freezer for five minutes.

Bake sheets one at a time until golden, 18-20 minutes. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the shortbread chill out for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.