Vanilla and Thyme Slice and Bake Cookies
Rich and buttery cookies with the flavors of vanilla bean and thyme
Servings 26 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ vanilla bean
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves plus more for decorating
- 1 egg
- 2 cups flour all-purpose
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For the glaze:
- ½ cup sugar powdered
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- First, cream together the butter, sugar, and the seeds from the vanilla bean. To remove them just slice the bean down the center, and then use the tip of your knife to scrape the seeds out. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the thyme and egg and whisk together until well incorporated.
- Then, stir in the flour and salt until a dough ball forms. You may need to use your (clean) hands to press the dough together here. Roll the dough into long cylinder, cover in plastic wrap, and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. You can keep this frozen in your freezer for at least a month (probably longer).
- When you are ready to make cookies, remove from the freezer and allow to sit out for a few minutes while your oven preheats. Then slice into 1/4 inch or slightly thicker rounds and place on a baking sheet lined with a baking mat or parchment paper.
- Bake at 325°F for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the cookies on a cooling rack.
- In the meantime, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Dip the cooled cookies into the glaze, then place back on the cooling rack to allow excess glaze to drip off (put some wax paper underneath for easy clean up). If you are feeling fancy (remember, we are going for real life Martha here), you can decorate the tops with a few thyme leaves as well.