• Home
  • Inspiration
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About
Menu

The Coast Kitchen

Street Address
Oakland, California
Phone Number
Recipes, Photos and Inspiration from the West Coast.

Your Custom Text Here

The Coast Kitchen

  • Home
  • Inspiration
  • Recipes
  • Travel
  • About

Basil Shortbread Cookies

October 16, 2014 Liv Maki

It's the time of year where I try to get creative with ways to use all of the basil in my garden. I know, I know, I can freeze pesto, but I also really want to try new and exciting things. Like making cookies. I want cookies more than I want pesto. Is that a crime? I didn't think so.

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar (plus a little more for rolling the cookies)
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

 

When I worked at a bakery, my boss at the time would affectionately refer to cookies like these as "dumpers", meaning you just dump all of the ingredients in. The order in which you put all this stuff together doesn't matter at all. If I was on cookie duty (which meant mixing enough cookie dough to make thousands of cookies at a time), I LOVED dumpers. Shortbread is almost always one of the easiest and fastest cookies to make. Also, it's crazy delicious. Also, preheat your oven to 375.

So, as I alluded to before, you can dump all of your ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until big soft clumps form.

Then take a scoop and scoop out the dough into small balls and coat them in powdered sugar. Space evenly on a baking sheet (these don't spread very much so they don't need too much room) and softly flatten each cookie. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown. Let cool and enjoy! I sprinkled mine with some Maldon sea salt and had a slightly religious experience.

Tags summer, dessert, vegetarian
← Chocolate Cayenne BrowniesLemon Lentil Soup →

Spring Recipes

Featured
Pasta Primavera
May 10, 2016
Pasta Primavera
May 10, 2016
May 10, 2016
Citrus Pistachio Salad
Mar 9, 2016
Citrus Pistachio Salad
Mar 9, 2016
Mar 9, 2016
Chickpea + Carrot Sauté
Jun 2, 2015
Chickpea + Carrot Sauté
Jun 2, 2015
Jun 2, 2015
Garlic Miso Dressing
Mar 29, 2015
Garlic Miso Dressing
Mar 29, 2015
Mar 29, 2015
Ginger Ice Cream
Jun 22, 2014
Ginger Ice Cream
Jun 22, 2014
Jun 22, 2014
Roasted Cauliflower & Herb Soup
Jun 8, 2014
Roasted Cauliflower & Herb Soup
Jun 8, 2014
Jun 8, 2014
Lemon & Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes
Apr 22, 2014
Lemon & Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes
Apr 22, 2014
Apr 22, 2014
Garlic Herb Dressing and a Picnic
Apr 16, 2014
Garlic Herb Dressing and a Picnic
Apr 16, 2014
Apr 16, 2014

Summer Recipes

Featured
Quick-Pickled Red Onion
Dec 16, 2017
Quick-Pickled Red Onion
Dec 16, 2017
Dec 16, 2017
Mint + Fava Bean Hummus
Jul 28, 2016
Mint + Fava Bean Hummus
Jul 28, 2016
Jul 28, 2016
Tomato Tart
Oct 4, 2015
Tomato Tart
Oct 4, 2015
Oct 4, 2015
Buttermilk Potato Salad
Sep 2, 2015
Buttermilk Potato Salad
Sep 2, 2015
Sep 2, 2015
Simple Summer Tomato Soup
Jul 26, 2015
Simple Summer Tomato Soup
Jul 26, 2015
Jul 26, 2015
Tahini Carrot Salad
Jun 28, 2015
Tahini Carrot Salad
Jun 28, 2015
Jun 28, 2015
Avocado + Tomatillo Salsa
May 1, 2015
Avocado + Tomatillo Salsa
May 1, 2015
May 1, 2015
Minty Meyer Lemonade
Jan 20, 2015
Minty Meyer Lemonade
Jan 20, 2015
Jan 20, 2015
Basil Shortbread Cookies
Oct 16, 2014
Basil Shortbread Cookies
Oct 16, 2014
Oct 16, 2014
Sep 18, 2014
A Farmers' Cookbook- Pt 2
Sep 18, 2014
Sep 18, 2014
Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Sep 8, 2014
Fire-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Sep 8, 2014
Sep 8, 2014
Roasted Salsa Verde
Aug 25, 2014
Roasted Salsa Verde
Aug 25, 2014
Aug 25, 2014
Raspberry Rum Spritzer
Aug 10, 2014
Raspberry Rum Spritzer
Aug 10, 2014
Aug 10, 2014
Plum Upside-Down Cake
Jul 18, 2014
Plum Upside-Down Cake
Jul 18, 2014
Jul 18, 2014
Steamed Eggplant
Jul 6, 2014
Steamed Eggplant
Jul 6, 2014
Jul 6, 2014
Naturally Fermented Pickles
Jun 29, 2014
Naturally Fermented Pickles
Jun 29, 2014
Jun 29, 2014
Jalapeño Mac & Cheese
May 14, 2014
Jalapeño Mac & Cheese
May 14, 2014
May 14, 2014

Fall Recipes

Featured
Autumn Cake
Oct 3, 2016
Autumn Cake
Oct 3, 2016
Oct 3, 2016
Fennel + Beef Stew
Oct 27, 2015
Fennel + Beef Stew
Oct 27, 2015
Oct 27, 2015
Cheese + Chive Popovers
Sep 8, 2015
Cheese + Chive Popovers
Sep 8, 2015
Sep 8, 2015
Pepita Kale Salad
Nov 3, 2014
Pepita Kale Salad
Nov 3, 2014
Nov 3, 2014
Lemon Lentil Soup
Sep 28, 2014
Lemon Lentil Soup
Sep 28, 2014
Sep 28, 2014
Chicken Orecchiette Soup
Aug 20, 2014
Chicken Orecchiette Soup
Aug 20, 2014
Aug 20, 2014
Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan
Mar 23, 2014
Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan
Mar 23, 2014
Mar 23, 2014

Winter Recipes

Featured
Nutty Maple Shortbread
Feb 4, 2017
Nutty Maple Shortbread
Feb 4, 2017
Feb 4, 2017
Citrus Pistachio Salad
Mar 9, 2016
Citrus Pistachio Salad
Mar 9, 2016
Mar 9, 2016
Carrot Ginger Slaw
Jan 19, 2016
Carrot Ginger Slaw
Jan 19, 2016
Jan 19, 2016
Chicory Salad with Crème Fraîche
Jan 3, 2016
Chicory Salad with Crème Fraîche
Jan 3, 2016
Jan 3, 2016
Orange Pineapple Carnitas
Nov 29, 2015
Orange Pineapple Carnitas
Nov 29, 2015
Nov 29, 2015
Honey Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
May 24, 2015
Honey Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
May 24, 2015
May 24, 2015
Spicy Braised Pork
Apr 24, 2015
Spicy Braised Pork
Apr 24, 2015
Apr 24, 2015
Olive Oil + Citrus Cake
Mar 15, 2015
Olive Oil + Citrus Cake
Mar 15, 2015
Mar 15, 2015
Refried Beans
Feb 20, 2015
Refried Beans
Feb 20, 2015
Feb 20, 2015
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Feb 1, 2015
Salted Caramel Apple Pie
Feb 1, 2015
Feb 1, 2015
Minty Meyer Lemonade
Jan 20, 2015
Minty Meyer Lemonade
Jan 20, 2015
Jan 20, 2015
Homemade Hoisin Sauce
Dec 26, 2014
Homemade Hoisin Sauce
Dec 26, 2014
Dec 26, 2014
Smokey Hot Sauce
Nov 30, 2014
Smokey Hot Sauce
Nov 30, 2014
Nov 30, 2014
Chocolate Cayenne Brownies
Oct 28, 2014
Chocolate Cayenne Brownies
Oct 28, 2014
Oct 28, 2014
Lime & Smoked Paprika Roasted Chicken
Apr 12, 2014
Lime & Smoked Paprika Roasted Chicken
Apr 12, 2014
Apr 12, 2014
Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan
Mar 23, 2014
Butternut Squash Soup with Parmesan
Mar 23, 2014
Mar 23, 2014

Subscribe

Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

I respect your privacy and will not share your email address with any third party.

Thank you!