Rose Petal Shortbread Cookies have the delicate flavor of rosewater and a sprinkling of rose petals on top for a simple but sophisticated cookie. Not only are these cookies pretty, but they also have that wonderful shortbread crumbly cookie texture.
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❤️Reasons To Love This Recipe
- Shortbread cookies are honestly one of my favorites. They are classic cookies that are simple to make with only a few ingredients, lightly sweet, with a buttery, crispy, tender texture that melts in your mouth. Yes, all that in one little cookie.
- These cookies keep for several weeks and travel well, so wrap some up and give them as gifts. They are always a welcome treat.
- With the edible flowers decorating the tops of these rosewater cookies, these are perfect for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day gifts. After all, who doesn't like pretty and delicious homemade cookies
- The unique use of rosewater and rose petals adds a floral aesthetic and lends these shortbread cookies a distinct, elegant flavor that sets them apart from traditional cookie varieties, making them a delightful surprise for the taste buds.
🌹 Rose Shortbread Cookies Ingredients
- Rice Flour - One ingredient you may not have on hand is rice flour, which I love to use to give these cookies a sandy texture. This rice-flour shortbread recipe is perfect for you if you eat gluten-free. These Chai Rice Flour Shortbread Cookies are filled with your favorite Chai spices.
- This shortbread recipe combines rosewater and rose petals, giving these cookies a delightfully floral flavor, perfect with tea, a cappuccino, or even a light wine.
- Cardamom - This amazing spice from India has a complex spicy and earthy flavor and aroma; you may be familiar with it if you enjoy Chai. Pairing this spice complements the sweetness of the rosewater.
- Powdered sugar - This sweet, fine sugar is ideal for giving your baked goods a light, delicate sweetness.
- Unsalted butter - A versatile ingredient, unsalted butter provides a rich, creamy texture and the classic flavor of buttery shortbread cookies and allows you to control the salt content in your recipes.
- Large egg - Eggs act as a binding agent in baking, giving structure to your baked goods while providing moisture and richness.
What is rosewater?
- I know you are thinking why buy a whole bottle of rose water for one recipe, well I'm here to tell you there are lots of uses for rose water, the list can be endless. I'll share some uses later.
- By steeping rose petals in water, you can make rosewater, and it is also the by-product of making rose oil. Try this Rose Water Recipe if you want to make your own.
- Rosewater is used for medicine, perfumes, and religious purposes. In cooking, rosewater is used to flavor foods and is used often in Middle Eastern, Persian, and Indian recipes.
- Combine rose water with fruits, especially strawberries, and it does wonders in sorbets. The flavor is mild and adds just a hint of rose. Try it in teas and lemonade and rose water is a delightful addition to milk-based desserts.
Baking with rose petals
- You can use edible rose petals or rosebuds; make sure they are edible culinary grade.
- It is easier to use rose petals in this type of cookie recipes since they do not contain the stem or the bud.
- Rosebuds can also be used. I keep rosebuds for tea, so I use them in baking, too. You need to crush the buds and pick out any stems or the hard center of the bud.
- For these rose petal cookies, I find it best to crush the petals into small pieces. You can easily do this by placing the petals on a cutting board and chopping them with a knife.
How To Make Rose Shortbread Cookies
Step 1. In a large bowl or a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth with a handheld mixer.
Step 2. Add the egg and the rose water to the dry ingredients and beat until combined. The mixture will look a little watery.
Step 3. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the powdered sugar and cardamom until combined.
Step 4. Mix in the flour at medium speed.
Step 5. Do not overmix the dough, mix until the flour is incorporated and a soft dough forms.
Step 6. Take the dough out of the bowl and place it on a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper that is sprinkled with flour.
Step 7. Using a rolling pin shape the dough into a small rectangle that is about 8" x 4" wide and ¼" thick.
Step 8. Use a bench scraper to reform the sides after you roll the dough to make the edges nice and straight and to get it the correct thickness.
I made this shape because I wanted to cut the shortbread into small logs, and another great thing about the logs is there is no wastage or rerolling of the dough. Gotta love that, right?
Step 9. Sprinkle the petals on top of the dough and, using a rolling pin, gently press down on the petals to make them stick to the dough.
Step 10. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap (or parchment) and chill for two hours or overnight.
Step 11. When ready to bake, heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Cut the dough in half and then cut the dough into 22 logs about ¾" wide and place on a prepared baking sheet, and bake for 20 - 25 minutes. The color of the petals will darken when baked. Cool on a wire rack before serving.
These Rose Cardamom Shortbread Cookies are just the perfect cookie to make for a celebration. They are so pretty to serve and they make a wonderful gift.
Tips
- Butter temperature: Ensure your butter is at room temperature before starting. Cold butter won't mix well with the other ingredients, resulting in a lumpy dough.
- Rosewater quality: Opt for a high-quality rosewater for the best flavor. Cheap versions may have a synthetic taste.
- Dough consistency: The dough should be slightly crumbly but still able to hold its shape when formed. If it's too dry, consider adding a bit more rose water; if it's too wet, add a touch more flour.
- Chill time: Don't skip the dough chilling process. This step helps the cookies maintain their shape while baking.
- Bake time: Keep a close eye on the cookies while baking. You want them to be slightly golden, but not brown.
- Flower press: If you want to add an extra touch of elegance, consider using a flower-shaped cookie cutter to create a beautiful design on your cookies before baking.
Variations
Other kinds of toppings can be used for these beautiful cookies
- Mix the crushed rose petals with coarse sugar and top the unbaked shortbreads.
- Leave the rose petals off the unbaked cookies, then bake the cookies and dip the ends in melted white chocolate, then sprinkle the rose petals on top of the chocolate.
- Add crushed rose petals to the dough
- Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top, with or without the rose petals
Try these easy shortbread recipes
- If you love baking with spices, these Chai Shortbread Cookies are filled with Chai tea and then dipped in chai icing.
- Dark Chocolate Shortbreads are slice-and-bake cookies rolled in colorful sprinkles, adding the perfect crunch; need I say more?
- Who likes citrus? These Lemon Shortbread Cookies are made with lemon zest and lemon juice, so pucker up!
- Cacao Nib Chocolate Shortbreads have just a hint of sea salt and that delicious bittersweet crunch from the cacao nibs.
Recipe FAQ's
Rose petals add an aromatic floral flavor to all kinds of cooking or baking, and they also add color and a decorative touch to many foods. Add rose petals to desserts, cookies, syrups, drinks, or salads. Make ice cubes with rose petals to add to drinks. Add rose petals as a garnish on top of frosting baked goods.
These are dried rose petals taken from roses grown and harvested, especially for food products without pesticides.
You can, and I would specifically use a low-protein flour such as pastry flour or cake flour.
If you don't have cardamom in your cupboard, try this as a substitution. Mix equal amounts of cinnamon and ginger; this will be the closest flavor match.
Equipment
- The Cookie Sheets are an essential tool for any baking endeavor.
- The Bench Scraper is a versatile kitchen implement that is useful for a variety of tasks.
Storage
Store the cooled Rose Cardamom Shortbread Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will maintain their freshness for up to a week.
If you want to extend their shelf life, you can freeze them. Place the cookies in a freezer-friendly airtight container or Ziploc bag, separating layers with pieces of parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 3 months.
To enjoy, thaw overnight at room temperature.
Uses for Rosewater
- Use Rosewater on your face and in your hair. It's a great toner and hair rinse.
- Use Rosewater as a perfume.
- Scent your sheets with rose water before bed, and you will sleep peacefully. Just put rose water in a spray bottle and mist your sheets.
- Roses are anti-inflammatory to use to treat skin conditions
- Use to flavor cakes, cookies, custards, fruits, and all kinds of desserts.
- Make some soap.
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Recipe
Rose Petal Shortbread
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rice flour
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon cardamom ground
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons rose water
- ¼ cup Rose petals
Instructions
- Mix the powdered sugar, and cardamom together in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl or a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, beat room temperature butter until smooth with an electric mixer at medium speed.
- Beat in the egg and rose water until blended. The mixture will look watery.
- With the mixer on low beat in the powdered sugar mixture for two minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed beat in the rice flour until a stiff dough forms.
- Remove dough from bowl and place on a floured piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Shape the dough with your hands to make a rectangle then using a rolling pin shape the dough into a rectangle 4" wide by 8" long and ¼" thick.
- Using a bench scraper reform the sides of the dough to make them nice and straight. You may have to reroll the dough to get it the correct size.
- Place the rose petals on a cutting board and chop with a knife to make small pieces. You will want about ¼.
- Sprinkle the rose petals over the dough and then press the petal into the dough. Gently roll over the top of the rose petals with a rolling pin to get the petals to stick to the dough.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or parchment paper that the dough is sitting on and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When ready to bake heat your oven to 300° F.
- Remove dough from the wrap and set it on a cutting board. Cut the dough in half lengthwise then cut into 22 - ¾" logs.
- Transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until the bottoms are golden brown. The rose petals will darken as they bake, but they will still be pretty.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
First published July 26, 2018, last updated: Jan 22, 2024, for better readability.
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About Jere'
From learning to cook on a farm in Indiana to culinary school in California, my passion for food is never-ending. Turning on my oven to bake something for friends and family is my happy place, and I am glad to be here at One Hot Oven, sharing both sweet and savory recipes with all my baking friends.
Beth
I haven't been baking so much with rice flour lately, and I'm looking forward to trying this light. fragrant cookie. Love how you cut them into bars - the shape shows off the rose petals so well.
Sara Gibson
I have used rosewater and ginger in making Springerle cookies. Mild flavor.
Jere Cassidy
I have never made Springerle cookies and I want to try them. I even have some lovely molds. The rosewater and ginger sound delicious.
Candiss
I have been thinking of making some sort of rose treat recently and these shortbreads sound awesome. I also love that they are GF for my gluten free friends!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
Noooooo! Growers are cultivating the rose smell out of the rose?! THAT'S THE BEST PART! But I love how you've crystallized the essence of the rose in your rose petal shortbread recipe. I've never baked with rose water before—let alone rose petals!—so I can't wait to give this a try! And I'm definitely trying out the other great uses you suggest for rose water!