The Magic of Herbal Cookies

Good Morning….I want to thank everyone again for attending our Open House  at Elements, last Saturday and I promised to share my recipes for all the Herbal goodies we had…so here they are…(only 2, the rest will follow)…..I do need to add a little note, these cookies must be Magical…I shared them, later that night at a party and got a marriage proposal….Whoopeee….amazing what a good herbal cookie can do…..Love to all…

DARK CHOCOLATEMINT, PEPPERMINT CRACKLE COOKIES

Note:  all ingredients are ORGANIC

1-1/2 c flour; 1/2 c raw sugar;1/4 c unsweetened dark chocolate cocoa powder; 1/2 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. sea salt; 1/2 cup loosley packed chocolate mint leaves and 1/2 c pepermint leaves ( you can use dried herbs, just use 1/2 amount as fresh); 1 c Semi-sweet choc. chips; 3eggs, lightly beaten; 6 tbls. unsalted butter; 1 tsp Vanilla extract(organic); 1/2 c raw sugar and 1/2 c powdered sugar( for rolling the cookie dough.

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt, set aside; in food processer blend mint and sugar until it looks like wet sand; on lowest setting melt the chocolate and butter in a sauce pan, stir often to avoid scorching, remove, stir until completely melted, then pour into large bowl and add the mint sugar and stir.  When chocolate is cooled a little, add the eggs, vanilla and stir; add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture and mix then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or longer ( I actually left them in for about 3 hours, worked ok, I think you could even leave it in the refer. overnight);  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; then roll into small balls, using teaspoon or scoop, roll cookies in  raw sugar/granulated sugar first then into the powdered sugar, place on greased/sprayed cookie sheet, about an inch apart…bake for 10 -12 Minutes (depending on your oven)…Remove and let cool for 5 minutes then place on cooling rack…this should make about 3 dozen…..Have fun and enyoy…

LEMON VERBENA-LEMON BALM COOKIES WITH LEMON BUTTERCREAM

FROSTING

1/2 c butter; 1 egg, beaten; 1 tsp lemon rind; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1/2 tsp lemon extract; 1 1/2 tbls dried lemon verbena or 3 tbls. fresh; 1/2 tbls dried lemon balm or 1tbls fresh; 1 c sugar; 1tsp vanilla; 11/2 c flour, sifted; 1 1/2 tsp baking powder.  Cream butter and sugar ( I use my food processor, much easier); Mix in vanilla lemon rind, lemon extract and lemon verbena and lemon balm;  add sifted flour, baking powder.  Roll the dough and form  a log about 2″-3″ in diameter, roll in wax paper and refrigerate for  1 or more hours, then slice into 1/4 pieces and bake on a greased cooked sheet, Bake at 400 for 8-10 min (depening on your oven).  Cool on cooling rack.  Then prepare the Lemon Buttercream Icing:  1 /2 cup butter; 1 c powdered sugar; 1 tblsp. lemon juice ; and 1/2 tsp. lemon peel…then frost and enjoy…..Many, many Green Blessings….Love & Hugs