I’m kicking off December with a parade of holiday cookie recipes. First up are these Rosemary Marzipan Rollout Cookies. And of course, I did not forget the glitter. The glitter is optional (I used lime green edible disco dust on these) and way too much for most people.
Sparkle aside, the co-stars of this recipe are the raw marzipan and the chopped fresh rosemary needles mixed into the dough. Both give the cookies gorgeous seasonal flavor. Marzipan is dead easy to make yourself and takes less than 10 minutes. I’ve included a recipe below.
I encourage you to get creative this season with your cookie shapes. Find some unusual ones to use. I found this one in a bag of miscellaneous cookie cutters at a local Goodwill store. It had a festive ornament shape perfect for these Rosemary Marzipan Rollout Cookies.
Cutter Tips:
You can always mix up several different cutters for one batch of cookie dough. I know that sounds like remedial advice. However, even though I own what seems like thousands of cutters, I always forget to change up my cutter game. By the way, for those of you who do have an (over) abundance of cookie cutters, here’s a tip. Several weeks before a holiday, when you are making lists, designing menus, etc, sort through your cutters. This can encourage you to use cookie cutters you rarely look at or even remember you have. Also, sometimes, a cookie-cutter can provide creative inspiration for your upcoming menus. And not only for making cookies. For example, when I remember to do this, I use cookie cutters for shaping cheese and bread, etc.
Tip: After cutting out the Rosemary Marzipan Rollout Cookies and arranging them on the baking sheets, place the entire baking sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes before baking. This will help alleviate the dreaded cookie spread – when your lovely cutout cookies become deformed while baking. Freezing the unbaked cookies before baking helps them retain the original shape of the cutter.
Rosemary Marzipan Rollout Cookies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cornstarch sifted
- 2 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup marzipan cut into pieces
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary needles
Instructions
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Whisk together the cornstarch, flour, and baking powder. Set aside.
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Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy (about 3 minutes)
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Mix in the marzipan, egg, and vanilla extract.
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Beat until the dough comes together.
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Add the dry ingredients and fold them in until thoroughly combined.
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Mix in the chopped rosemary.
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Wrap the dough in plastic cling film and refrigerate for 1 hour
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Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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Roll out the dough on a floured surface.
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Use the cookie-cutter shape of your choice to create shapes.
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Transfer them to the baking sheets.
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Place the baking sheets with the cutout cookies on them in the freezer for 10 minutes
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
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Bake for 8 minutes or until the edges of the cookies start to turn slightly golden.
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Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack to cool completely.
Homemade Marzipan Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup blanched ground almonds**
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon rosewater
- 1 tablespoon egg white
- Light corn syrup and extra powdered sugar to adjust consistency if needed
- ** Blanching almonds Instructions below
Instructions
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If you are using almond flour, skip the next two steps.
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**To blanch raw almonds, boil them for one minute. Rinse immediately in a colander with cold water. Squeeze the skins off with your fingers. They will slip off easily.
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Pulse the blanched almonds and a tablespoon of powdered sugar in a food processor until completely pulverized. The powdered sugar will prevent the almonds from becoming a paste.
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Add the almond flour and powdered sugar to the food processor and pulse until combined. I like to take out the blade and use a whisk to break up any lumps. Replace the blade and pulse a few more times.
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Add the pure almond extract and the rosewater and pulse until combined.
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Add the egg white and pulse until the mixture becomes smooth.
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Remove the mixture from the processor. If it is too wet and sticky, sprinkle powdered sugar over the mixture a little at a time. Knead it in and make the marzipan stiffer. If the mixture is too dry, knead in a few drops of the light corn syrup.
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Wrap tightly in plastic cling film. Store in a ziplock bag.
So, do you like these Rosemary Marzipan Rollout Cookies? Then also check out some of these other delicious recipes:
CHOCOLATE COVERED POTATO CANDY
ROSEMARY RUM FRENCH MACARONS
CREAMY CARROT SAUERKRAUT
