Orange-rosemary cookies with olive oil
Instructions:
- 1 orange;
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour (4¼ ounces);
- ½ cup lightly packed almond meal (1¾ ounces);
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder;
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt;
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil;
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar;
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary;
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract;
- 2 to 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for topping.
- Finely grate the zest of the orange until you have 1 teaspoon. Set the zest aside, and squeeze the orange until you have ¼ cup juice. Set aside as well.
- Whisk together the white whole wheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Take care to break up any clumps of almond meal with your fingers. Make a well in the center. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the olive oil and In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk together the olive oil and brown sugar for about 1 minute until the sugar starts to dissolve and the color lightens, about 1 minute. Add the orange juice, zest, rosemary, and vanilla extract; whisk to combine. Pour the oil mixture into the center of the flour mixture. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients with a dough whisk or a wooden spoon until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Place a 12 by 18-inch sheet of parchment paper on a work surface in front of you, the long side parallel to the edge of the counter. Scrape the soft, moist dough onto the bottom third of the parchment paper. Using your hands, roughly shape the dough into a 14-inch-long log about 1½ inches in diameter. Use the parchment paper to help you roll it up into a tight log. Twist the ends to secure the log. Chill in the freezer until the dough has firmed up, about 1½ hours (it will still be soft to the touch).
- Place 1 rack in the top third of the oven and the other in the bottom third, and preheat to 350°F. Line 2 large rimless baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the turbinado sugar in a small bowl.
- Unwrap the log and cut it with a sharp knife into slices a little less than ½-inch thick (the dough will still be soft). Gently press the top of each cookie into the turbinado sugar and place it on a prepared baking sheet, spacing at least 1 inch apart.
- Bake both sheets at the same time, swapping them halfway, until the edges and bottoms of the cookies turn golden brown (they will still yield slightly when pressed with a finger), 16 to 18 minutes. Carefully slide the cookies with the parchment paper onto a wire rack to cool completely. They will crisp as they cool.