I’m really excited to share this recipe with you guys! Not only because it’s delicious, but I also love how the photos turned out. Sometimes I’ll make something that tastes and looks amazing, but then I’m not able to capture it on camera the way I want to. There’s so much that goes into getting the perfect shot (lighting, composition, styling, editing, etc.) and there are definitely times when it just doesn’t all come together. That can be SO frustrating after you’ve spend money on ingredients and time putting it together. Food photography has been a learning process (about 6 years to be exact, my first blog posts were SO bad). In addition to the technical side of things, it’s been a challenge to develop my personal visual style. However after shooting these (and taking an online course from my food photography idol, Sarah from Broma Bakery) I know what direction I want to take. Overall I want my photos to look feminine, minimal, bright and have pink as the dominant color. I’m excited to create and shoot more content with you guys now that I have a specific style in mind! Hopefully you enjoyed this behind the scenes look and food photography. If not, you probably didn’t make it this far and aren’t reading this anyways haha.
Now for the cookies! I was browsing the baking aisle at Fresh Market the other day and came across a pretty pink bottle of rose water. I’ve never baked with rose water before (I think I’ve only had it in cocktails), so this was a fun experiment! I figured shortbread cookies would be a good place to start because they are simple and the rose flavor would really stand out. It’s used like an extract and a little bit goes a long way. These definitely have a sweet, floral flavor! To decorate them, I drizzled melted almond bark (dyed pink) on top and then added a pinch of edible rose petals. I ordered these off of Etsy and they’re perfect for garnishing any rose-flavored treats or drinks! Since I still have most of the bag left, there will most likely be more rose water recipes coming to the blog in the near future :)
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Rose Water Shortbread Cookies
Sweet, floral flavored shortbread cookies topped with pink almond bark and dried edible rose petals.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. rose water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 oz. almond bark
- pink food coloring optional
- edible dried rose petals optional
Instructions
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In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add rose water and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
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In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together four and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until fully incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
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Once combined, shape the dough into a disk about 2" thick. Wrap with cling wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour (up to overnight).
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Preheat oven to 350F and set dough out at room temperature to soften slightly. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until 1/3" thick. Use desired cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Repeat with remaining dough. Let cool.
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To decorate, melt the almond bark in a small microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Stir in the food coloring then transfer to a piping bag and cut a small hole at the tip. Drizzle over cooled cookies then top with a pinch of dried edible rose petals. Enjoy!
