Lemon-lime basil shortbread

Sweet and savoury is such a classic combination, but I particularly enjoy it when it comes in a dessert format. So when I came across shortbread cookies with basil, my tastebuds perked up.

Recipe

from Bon Appetit magazine

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup powdered sugar plus more for dusting
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 tbsp sliced fresh basil leaves
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp finely grated lime zest
¼ tsp saltgranulated sugar

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place flour, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter, basil, lemon and lime zests, lemon juice and salt in a food processor. Pulse until moist clumps form. Measure level tablespoonfuls of dough and roll into balls. Place on large baking sheet about 2" apart. Lightly dust flat cup with powdered sugar and press cookies into 2" rounds, re-dusting cup as needed to prevent sticking. Sprinkle tops with sugar. Bake until edges are brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

Musings

The recipe suggested serving with ice cream, and I'm happy to follow directions (particularly when it involves ice cream). I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but they were absolutely delightful! The cookies were light and crumbly, and the basil-lemon-lime flavours came through wonderfully. It made for a perfect after-dinner dessert, and the leftover cookies were delicious snacks for the rest of the week.