These days I am constantly looking for ways to incorporate our fresh herbs that we have growing out back.  I stumbled across this recipe and loved the idea of infusing a buttery shortbread with rosemary. I also had a jar of fine apricot preserves in the fridge so this recipe was a perfect match.

I know what you are thinking....herbs.....in a cookie? It sounds weird, but it is such a wonderful combination. The earthy, savory hint of rosemary is so subtle yet it adds so much to what would otherwise be a boring shortbread cookie.  I know you all have rosemary in your backyard and if you don't your neighbor does, so don your aprons and get cookin!

Rosemary Shortbread with Apricot Filling

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal (make sure you buy the kind that is fine ground not medium)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 3 tbsp milk
• apricot spreadable fruit

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl stir together flour, sugar, and cornmeal. Using pastry blender or your hands, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in rosemary. Add milk. Stir with fork to combine; form into ball. Knead until smooth; divide in half.

On lightly floured surface, roll half the dough at a time to 1/4-inch thickness. Using 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out dough. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire rack. Cool.

Spread bottoms of half the cookies with spreadable fruit. Top with remaining cookies. Makes about 20 sandwich cookies.

To store: Place in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature up to 3 days. Or freeze unfilled cookies up to 3 months. Thaw cookies; fill with spreadable fruit.

Enjoy!