Rosemary Lemon Olive Oil Shortbread

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I was looking for something vegan to take to a get-together and I came across this recipe for olive oil rosemary shortbread by Morgan Shupe on the Vega website.  It looked perfect and after making it once, I knew I would be making it again and again.  As I prefer metric measurements, I’ve converted the recipe and posted it here so I have it handy. A couple of notes: First, the original recipe uses whole-wheat flour but I use all-purpose white flour. Second, the original also lists lemon zest as an optional ingredient, but I think it is absolutely essential. The lemon and rosemary complement each other perfectly.

This recipe could not come together faster or easier. In fact, the less you work the dough, the better these are. I start by sifting together the flour and powdered sugar. I don’t want any lumps.

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I stir in the minced rosemary, lemon zest, and salt. Do not forget the salt. These will taste flat and downright dull without it. With all the dry ingredients in the bowl, I add the olive oil and stir until just combined. The mixture should be crumbly and should hold together when pinched. I find a fork works better than a spoon here.

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I then dump in the mixture into a square baking pan lined with baking paper and pat the dough flat. I like a lot of overhang with the baking paper as it makes the bars easy to remove for slicing after baking. To bake, I place the pan in a preheated 180 c oven for 30 minutes or until the top just begins to brown.

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After the shortbread has cooled for 10 minutes or so but is still warm, I remove it from the pan and slice it into bars.

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I then let the bars cool completely before eating. This shortbread is just divine with a cup of tea.