These tantalizing shortbread cookies enhanced with fresh rosemary are a game-changer and a wonderful snack to take on your hunt. After years of hearing my deer hunting stories of how I was “busted” by a deer while eating or reaching for something to eat, my wife “suggested” I wrap and keep some of her rosemary-infused shortbread cookies in one of my easy-to-reach pockets as a snack. I decided to share her advice and recipe with you, so you can avoid the same pitfalls I have run into in the past. We both hope you’ll enjoy Susie’s Deer Stand Rosemary Shortbread Cookies!
Deer Stand Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
Ya know… I usually don’t eat while I’m on stand. I just hunt. And over the years, I have learned (the hard way) that snacking at the wrong time can ruin your hunt. Let me count the ways I’ve been “BUSTED:” 1. Deer may see your unnecessary movement when reaching for and/or eating your snack.2. Scent from your snack may alert your quarry. Ok. Maybe that is a reach. But, this is written by someone who is meticulous about paying attention to wind direction and velocity and, eliminating as much of his scent as possible when going on a hunt.3. Noisy packaging. C’mon! Some of that packaging material is extremely loud. You may have noticed that yourself when you are sitting on a calm day and attempting to quietly open a plastic package. And what about the digging around in your pack? It’s the “human is here” noise equivalent of squirrels chasing each other around your tree!4. Speaking of noise, did you ever hear yourself chew while on stand? Personally, I think I sound like a horse no matter how quietly I attempt to chew and, I’ve always wondered how much of that the deer can actually hear.I’ve tried various types of snacks over the years such as my “Twice Smoked Goose Jerky,” an apple or pear, protein or nut bar, or some type of small, packaged snack, and would keep them in my pack in case I got hungry. But, I have come to realize that none of these can be as stealthy or delicious (with the exception of my jerky) as Susie’s Deer Stand Rosemary Shortbread Cookies. I’ll grab a handful of these babies, wrap them in a napkin and stick them in my handwarmer pockets where I can easily reach them with minimal movement. Not only do they practically melt in your mouth, but it’s also quite possible the hint of rosemary, the secret ingredient that differentiates these shortbreads from others, does not alert the game. Of course, with this treat, a handful is typically not enough and it’s a good thing that I can only fit so many in my pocket. Or, I would end up turning my hunt into a food fest and likely take the entire batch. Here’s how you make your own batch. Remember, keep it to a handful (if you can) and have a great hunt.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons fresh, finely chopped rosemary needles
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Whisk the first four ingredients together until the rosemary is dispersed evenly throughout the flour.
- Transfer to a food processor or mixer and add the remaining ingredients. Mix, scraping or pulsing if necessary, until a homogenous semi-solid dough is formed.
- Remove the dough from the food processor and roll into a log no larger than 3 inches in diameter. (That’s a straight line all the way across the round end, for those of us who cannot recall our geometric definitions.) Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Slice the log into disks about 1/3 of inch, thick. Place on baking sheets lined with parchment paper leaving an inch of space around each cookie. Bake approximately 14 to 18 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet for a few minutes prior to transferring to wire racks or a plate, and letting them cool further. Cover or place in an air tight container.
- Optional step: Request family members leave you a predetermined number of cookies for your next day's hunt since they may “disappear” overnight.
