This time of year, I start craving flavors like fresh basil. In pasta. In pesto. In omlettes. In anything with tomatoes. I love the bright pop of flavor it gives to any recipe. You know, like in cookies.
For realsies! In cookies!
In one of my recent wanderings at my beloved farmer’s market (are you tired of hearing about my weekly trips down there yet??), I was chatting with the folks at Ottmers Family Farms about their produce. They always have a great, seasonal selection, evidenced by my foray into using their fresh and fabulous Garlic Scapes this Spring. One herb they had available was Cinnamon Basil. I’d never used it, so I had to try it!
As soon as I got home I started googling recipes. This particular varietal has a spicier flavor than its’ more recognized and used cousin, but not spicy as in “hot”–spicy as in “warm and earthy”. So when I stumbled on these cookies, I knew I had something to play with. To the kitchen!
While I am someone who famously never actually follows a recipe, when it comes to baking, I am less inclined to play mad scientist. It’s so much more precise that I find it’s better to follow along to ensure I don’t wind up with burnt cakes or under-baked blobs. One change up was that I left out the pistachios mentioned in the original recipe. Since I intended to share these goodies, I didn’t want to take a chance that someone may have a nut allergy.
I think what I liked most about this ingredient, as well as the final product, was the confused look of intrigue on the face of everyone who tried them. Folks were trying to figure out what that curious-yet-familiar flavor was (“Is that lime? Is that pepper? Is that cinnamon?”) and with each additional bite, many came down on the side of really liking these goodies.
I say give them a try yourself and experiment with this great variety of basil. Cinnamon Basil Cookies are a revelation, and a surprisingly yummy treat!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 24 cookies | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 8-10 minutes | 1 hour |
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The unique flavor of these simple cookies is perfect for pairing with a cup of tea, or even a cold lemonade. You'll have your friends guessing at the ingredients, and gobbling them up as they try to figure it out!
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- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2/3 cup butter (see my note about this below)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp. lime zest
- 3 tbsp. chopped fresh cinnamon basil
- Wash and dry the basil leaves. Finely chop them and set them aside. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, and also set them aside.
- Using a standing mixer, beat together the remaining ingredients (butter through basil) until a all of the ingredients are fully incorporated. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until a firm dough forms. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap and form into a log shape. Refrigerate at least 1 hour, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator and slice into 1-inch rounds. Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies begin to lightly brown at the edges.
- Remove cookies from oven and cook on a wire rack.
- Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to a week.
I did mention above that I had a note on the butter. The original recipe calls for softened butter. I think I would use slightly chilled butter instead, as having softened butter made the cookies a little flatter than I think was originally intended. They have a shortbread texture, but not the fluffy consistency I expected from the ingredients.
What I love about this recipe is that such simple ingredients can produce such a unique flavor profile. The lime zest gives the cookies a brightness that is hard to distinguish but clearly present. And the Cinnamon Basil plays on your senses, making you think of pepper, spice and other warm elements. It's refreshing and intriguing all at the same time!
Time to get some more of this great ingredient and play with some other new recipes!
I love this recipe, these cookies. More people have enjoyed them than any other cookie I have made. It’s tricky to find cinnamon basil, so I bought seeds and started the plant myself. Often I freeze these cookies, and they are equally delicious.
I’m so glad you and others enjoy these! You’re right–finding the cinnamon basil is tricky. What a great idea to grow your own so you always have it on hand!
again, not 1 inch slices. must be 1/4 or 1/2, right?
1 inch rounds doesn’t mean thickness. It means 1″ around.
This looks amazing, I’m about to make it but don’t have a sifter, is it ok not to use one? Thanks for sharing!
Yeay! If you don’t have a sifter, do you have a fine sieve or mesh strainer? That could work in a pinch.
These look amazing. I’ve never seen this basil before. Must try immediately.
What interesting flavors to include in a cookie! My husband is adventurous and is always looking for new flavor combinations, he would love to try these!
Sabrina, if you find this basil I highly recommend playing around with it a bit. Such an different flavor profile, and more versatile than I thought it’d be! 🙂
O this sounds incredible! Love anything cinnamon and with some fresh summer basil? Win!