Rich and buttery with just a hint of sweetness, these Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies have a subtle, but standout flavor that will have everyone coming back for more. This golden brown shortbread is perfect for the holiday season, as a hostess gift, or to just have stashed in your cookie jar for a buttery treat. The orange and rosemary flavors are subtle but add something special to a classic.

Orange Rosemary Shortbread (A Buttery Cookie That Deserves More Than Just the Holidays

Here’s a question: why do we act like shortbread only belongs at Christmas? Like it’s the Mariah Carey of cookies—only pulled out once a year, then forgotten?

Let’s change that.

This orange rosemary shortbread is buttery (obviously), gently sweet, and way more interesting than the sugar bombs you find on most cookie trays. If you’re someone who’d rather reach for a rich, buttery cookie over a sweet one, same here. I’ll take shortbread over anything frosted, filled, or sprinkled. Every time.

And this one? It’s not just buttery, it’s elegant without trying too hard. Earthy rosemary + bright citrus zest = that whole sweet-and-savory thing that makes you go back for just one more bite… five times in a row.

What Makes This Cookie Special (Besides the Butter)

Not too sweet. Most of the sweetness is in the coating, not the dough. So it’s mellow, not cloying. Which means yes, you can have one with your afternoon tea and your morning coffee. Or hot chocolate. Or whatever’s in your mug.
The rosemary and orange? Wow. If you’ve never added herbs to cookies, it might sound weird, but just trust me. The rosemary isn’t loud. It’s subtle and piney and warm. Paired with orange zest, it just works.
They age like wine. These cookies actually taste better the next day. The flavors settle in. You bite in and think—oh, there you are.

If making a log, you will roll it in demara sugar then slice. If cutting into shapes sprinkle the demara sugar on top of the rectangle and run the rolling pin over the top to embed the sugar into the dough before cutting.

Pro Tip: Have you ever had a hard time keeping a roll from getting indentations or flattening in the freezer? Try wrapping it in a hand towel before placing it in the fridge or freezer, this will help keep it’s round shape when you want pretty circles.

What You’ll Need (Just the Essentials)

Not too many ingredients here, which is part of the charm. These are the core ones, check the recipe card for the exact measurements and full list.

The ingredients for orange shortbread cookies. — Gather the ingredients.

Butter. The real kind. And lots of it. That’s the heart of this recipe.
Orange zest. Fresh only. Trust me, skip the bottled stuff.
Fresh rosemary. Chop it fine. Dried just doesn’t have the same kick or fragrance.
Cornmeal. Just a bit—it adds a faint crunch and texture that makes these stand out.
Demerara sugar. For the outside. It gives that sparkly, crunchy finish that makes people think you bought them from a fancy bakery.

Let’s Bake: Step-by-Step

Step One: Whisk Dry Ingredients

Dry ingredients with a whisk in a bowl. — Whisk the dry ingredients.

Rosemary chopped on a cutting board. — Chop the rosemary.

Step Two: Beat Sugar

Butter and sugar creamed in a bowl. — Cream the butter and sugar.

Orange zest and rosemary added to the shortbread dough. — Add orange zest and rosemary.

Eggs added to the shortbread batter. — Add the eggs.

Shortbread dough in a mixing bowl. — Add dry ingredients mixing just until combined.

Step Three: Chill Dough

Gather the dough into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each half into a 6-inch long log. Wrap tight in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours, or freeze for 45 minutes. You can also roll the dough into two rectangles instead of logs if you want to cut them into shapes.

Shortbread dough rolled into a log. — Form into a log.

Shortbread dough flattened into a square. — Or form into a rectangle.

Step Four: Bake

Place sugar all over the outside of the logs. Cut the logs into 1/3-inch thick slices. If making shapes, sprinkle the Demerara sugar over the rectangle and use a rolling pin to embed it into the dough. Cut into your desired shapes and bake until golden brown.

Shortbread dough cut into squares. — Cut into shapes.

shortbread dough cut into squares on a baking sheet. — Place on a cookie sheet and bake.

Step Five: Cool

Let cool for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Then grab your favorite warm beverage and enjoy.

A Few Tips That Actually Help

Don’t skip chilling the dough. Seriously. Warm dough = melted cookies = sad.
If your dough gets soft while working with it, pop it back in the fridge. No shame in a mid-bake break.
Use fresh rosemary. It makes all the difference. Dried won’t give you that fresh, woodsy scent and subtle punch of flavor.

Let’s Talk Storage

No need to refrigerate these. Just store them in an airtight container on the counter. And if you can resist them for more than a day, you’ll notice the flavor deepens. Kind of like how soup tastes better the next day? Same idea.

Want More Buttery Cookie Ideas?

You’ve gotta try these chocolate-dipped shortbread cookies if you’re in a fancier mood, or just feeling extra chocolatey. And if lemon is more your thing, these lemon shortbread bars might be your new favorite.

You could dress these up in a pretty box with some ribbon and call it a holiday gift… or you could just eat them straight off the cooling rack while standing in the kitchen. Both are valid.

Let me know how yours turn out, I’d love to hear if you try your own twist. Lavender instead of rosemary? Grapefruit zest? Go for it.

Buttery Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

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Prep Time: 1

Cook Time: 15

Servings:

Calories: 71kcal

Author: Barbara Curry

Ingredients

1 cup butter room temp
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cornmeal medium ground
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp. grated orange zest
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary finely chopped
2 egg yolk room temp
1/4 cup Demerara sugar for coating

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the four, cornmeal, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium high until incorporated but not fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the orange zest, rosemary, and egg yolks, one at a time, beating just until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
Gather the dough into a ball and divide it in half. Shape each half into a 6 inch long log or a rectangle. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 2 hours or freeze.
Preheat oven to 350º. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll each log into the sugar so that the outside is coated. Cut the logs into 1/3 inch thick slices. Place cookies 1 inch apart and bake until lightly golden, 15-17 minutes. If cutting into shapes, sprinkle the top of each rectangle with Demerara sugar and runa rolling pin over it to embed the sugar in the dough. Roll until it is 1/3 inch thick and cut into shapes.
Let cool for several minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Notes

Don’t skip the chill! Since we’re starting with room temperature butter, we need the butter to get cold and solidify in the fridge. This keeps the cookies from spreading out and makes sure that there are delicious pockets of buttery goodness in every bite.