Nothing stuns quite like the natural hot pink of hibiscus! I love incorporating this bright, pleasantly tart flower into my baked goods for flavor and looks, and these shortbreads hit all the notes. Buttery and sweet, with a zing from citrus zest and the hibiscus-infused glaze, they’re guaranteed to be the standout sweet in any holiday cookie spread.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 5 hr |
| Active: | 40 min |
| Yield: | 18 to 22 cookies |
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks/228 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (114 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup (17 grams) dried hibiscus tea, plus more for garnish, optional
- 2 cups (227 grams) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
Instructions
- For the dough: Cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and uniform, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and orange zest and mix to combine. Add the flour and salt and mix until uniform. Shape into a square and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
- For the glaze: Bring 1/2 cup water and the hibiscus to a boil in a small pot. Turn off the heat, cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain, pressing out all of the liquid and discarding the hibiscus.
- Place the confectioners’ sugar in a mixing bowl and add the hibiscus water a few splashes at a time, mixing as you go, until the consistency is to your liking. Add about half for a thicker glaze and more for a thinner glaze if you wish. Be sure to do this gradually, as it’s easier to thin out a glaze than thicken it. Mix in the corn syrup.
- Place the cookie dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. If it’s a little too firm, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it’s easy to roll. Cut into 2-inch squares (or your desired shape and size) and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart. Chill for about 20 minutes.
- Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Bake 1 batch at a time on the middle rack until the cookies are set and just golden brown around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets.
- When fully cooled, dip half of each cookie in the glaze on the diagonal and place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. If desired, top the cookies with some crushed and sifted dried hibiscus. Allow the glaze to set at room temperature for about an hour.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 20 servings |
| Calories | 202 |
| Total Fat | 9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Protein | 1 g |
| Cholesterol | 25 mg |
| Sodium | 97 mg |
Reviews
I made these and they were beautiful and tasted so good. The glaze makes them stand out in looks and flavor, don’t skip this step it’s so worth it. They were FUN to make. I had to freeze some of mine and it didn’t compromise the taste. The vivid color of the glaze went down a notch after freezing but the flavor remained excellent. This will be in my regular cookie rotation now. I have not posted a cookie recipe review before but this one was worth telling others.
This recipe was so easy to follow! It was absolutely delicious it has just the perfect amount of sweet and tart. The citrus flavor is amazing! I will be making this again!