I hope everyone had a wonderful Father's Day! I wasn't able to spend the holiday with my family, but I did send Dad delicious homemade cookies in the mail. He loves pistachios and anise, so I added both to these buttery shortbread cookies. For pretty packaging, I placed the cookies in jars, painted the lids pistachio green, and tied them off with ribbon. The extra pistachios served as great packing material to ensure that the cookies wouldn't break. Now my dad can relax and enjoy some delicious cookies with his afternoon coffee.
The Science.
I had never mailed cookies before, and I was determined to make ones that would withstand the elements and arrive intact. I refrained from using any chocolate, because I knew the package would probably get warm. I also wanted the cookies to be sturdy and not crumble, so I settled on shortbread cookies. The fats in the butter and nuts would not go rancid in the heat, and would also aid in holding the cookies together while they were jostling in the mail. A little bit of cornstarch also contributed to the dense texture and reduced crumbling.
The Recipe.
6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1/2 teaspoon anise seed
Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine butter, sugar, and almond extract in a medium bowl, and beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stir in flour and cornstarch until combined. Fold in pistachios and anise. Cover and chill dough 30 minutes.
Roll dough out 1/2 inch thick, and cut cookies out with 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter (or with the lip of a champagne flute, as I did with the Strawberry Shortcakes). Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes, until edges are light golden. Cool completely on wire racks.
