Don't be turned away by the name, these are INCREDIBLE. They're elevated shortbread-like cookies with buttery aromatic flavor that is perfectly sweet and just the right amount of salty. The sage flavor isn't strong but really compliments the other amazing flavors. They're delicate with an excellent texture, crumbly but not dry! When I first heard about this recipe I thought it sounded crazy, but I just had to try for myself. And I am. Blown. Away. They remind me of Christmas, and are just so inexplicably good.
The original recipe is from: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/travel-dining/a38211057/claire-saffitz-on-her-secret-weapon-hostess-gift/
Below is a 1/2 recipe, with pictures of the process below. To make a full recipe just double everything and make and cut 2 cookie logs!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (113 g)
2 large leafy sage sprigs (7 g)
1/2 tsp. lemon zest (0.8 g)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. white sugar (76 g)
1 large egg yolk (15-18 g)
1 tsp. vanilla extract (4 g)
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (114 g)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch (15 g)
1/2 tsp. salt (3 g)
1/4 cup coarse (demerara) sugar (53 g)
Directions:
Add the butter and sage to a small, light colored pot or pan. Begin melting on medium-low heat. Once it starts to bubble, stir constantly and watch closely. First it will get white and foamy on top, then the bubbles become clear, then it will start to foam (white foam) a lot and that is when the butter is starting to brown, so stir constantly and watch the bits on the bottom closely, letting the bits turn a nice golden brown (see photos below).
Immediately remove from the heat and pour into a heat-safe mixing bowl. Remove the sage, let the butter drip off into the mixing bowl and set the sage aside for later.
Let the brown butter cool to room temperature, swirl the bowl occasionally to speed this up. This took about 1 hour for me.
Once cooled the butter will be pale yellow and more solid. Add the sugar and lemon zest and mix on medium for 2 minutes, until pale and creamy (not necessarily light and fluffy). You can use a whisk and do this by hand.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix just until combined, 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and mixing beater/spoon/whisk.
In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Don't overmix! It may be crumbly.
Prepare a sheet of plastic wrap or 10" wide parchment paper. Gently press and shape the dough into a log shape by hand, then squish and roll into a 8" long, ~1.5" wide log using the plastic or parchment. Smoosh the ends to flatten. Wrap tightly and chill for 2 hours (or overnight, cover if chilling overnight).
Once chilled, take the dough out to warm up for about 10 minutes, just to slightly soften the outside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a light colored baking tray with parchment paper.
Remove the sage leaves from the reserved sage, and add half the leaves to a bowl. Add the coarse sugar and rub together to break the sage leaves into small pieces.
Roll the cookie dough log in the sage sugar, pressing it in as best you can (there will be excess sugar). Cut into 17-18 1/4" to 1/2" wide cookie 'coins'. Tip: Rotate the log with each cut so the cookies don't flatten on one side.
Place cookies on parchment, about 1 to 2 inches apart.
Bake while still cold, for 16-20 minutes, or until light golden on top and more golden on the bottom. I baked for 20 minutes and they were perfect!
Let cool on the pan (takes about 1 hour).
Handle delicately and enjoy! Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature.
Makes 17-18 cookies.
The ingredients I used. I think the fancy butter was a good choice!
Add the sage and butter to a pot and start melting.
And brown the butter while mixing constantly. This was my butter browning process, from left to right and top to bottom, start to finish (top left to bottom right). The butter will foam up a lot (bottom left) when it begins to brown. This process took about 7-10 minutes total.
Then pour the brown butter immediately into a mixing bowl and separate the sage out (let butter on it drip back into the mixing bowl) and set the sage side for later.
The butter before cooling to room temp.
The butter after cooling to room temp.
Add the sugar and lemon zest.
And mix in.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla.
And mix in.
In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
Then add in.
And mix in. It may be crumbly like mine but don't overmix!
Add to parchment paper (or plastic wrap). and start squishing together.
Shaped into a not very pretty log, but then you will use the parchment paper to shape it better.
After shaping and pressing the ends in. I twisted the parchment paper and then chilled this in a container in the fridge for 2 hours.
After chilling. Let it warm up a little.
Take half of the sage leaves off the stems.
And add the coarse sugar before mixing together.
After mixing together and breaking the sage leaves into smaller pieces.
Roll the cookie log in the sage sugar, pressing it in as much as you can (there will be excess sugar).
Cut into disks, rotating as you cut so you don't get flat sides.
Place on a tray to bake!
After baking!
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