This recipe might just be the one to pull you out of your post-holiday baking vacation. It’s likely you’ve spent some time in the kitchen over the last few weeks, but this sweet-and-savory shortbread cookie recipe is so simple to prepare that even the non-baking writer of this blog entry couldn’t deny its place in the permanent recipe files.
This recipe might just be the one to pull you out of your post-holiday baking vacation. It’s likely you’ve spent some time in the kitchen over the last few weeks, but this sweet-and-savory shortbread cookie recipe is so simple to prepare that even the non-baking writer of this blog entry couldn’t deny its place in the permanent recipe files.
These simple shortbread cookies are studded with crispy little bits of Nueske’s Uncured Cherrywood Smoked Bacon and tiny chunks of understated sweetness coming from Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice® Mission Figlets.
This traditional shortbread recipe not only features savory bacon and earthy fig notes, but we also added a tiny bit of potent cinnamon to add a pleasantly wintery feel to these crisp cookies.
Shortbread is just right for pairing with tea, milk, and, considering the savory, smoky factor that these cookies possess, perhaps a sparkling holiday beverage pairing is in also order. Try making your own batch and let us know what your friends think!
Nueske’s® Uncured Cherrywood Smoked Bacon & California Mission Figlet Shortbread Cookies
Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
6 slices Nueske’s® Uncured Cherrywood Smoked Bacon, diced fine
3 Tbsp. bacon drippings, reserved from cooking of bacon, above, or from your own previously-saved Nueske’s bacon drippings
2 1/2 sticks (5/8 C.) unsalted butter, room-temperature
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. Saigon Cinnamon
3 ¼ C. all-purpose flour
¾ C. Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice® Mission Figlets, diced fine
Directions:
Place finely diced Nueske’s bacon in a cold frying pan on the stovetop and bring up to medium heat. Stir the diced bacon frequently, as it’s frying. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon or spatula once it is crisp and nicely browned. Place bacon on paper towel, to drain. Set bacon pieces aside and pour bacon drippings into heat-safe bowl or container and place in the freezer or refrigerator to solidify the bacon drippings for use in this recipe.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, place room-temperature butter, cooled bacon drippings, sugar, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Mix on low until the mixture is smooth, then slowly add in the flour and mix at medium speed, as the batter will become very stiff.
Add the fried bacon pieces and diced figlets into the batter and mix until well-incorporated.
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on floured surface, rolling into a long tube shape approximately 1 1/2” in diameter, that you will slice your cookies from. Wrap this dough column in plastic wrap and place in your refrigerator for about 1 hour, preheating your oven to 375°F before removing the dough from your refrigerator.
After the dough has been allowed to chill, remove from refrigerator, unwrap, and slice the column of dough into cookies that are ¼” thick. Place cookies on ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, making sure the edges are only just slightly browned before removing from oven.