You heard it here first, folks, sage is going to be “in” this year. Too long have rosemary and thyme worn the crown, a new herb era is coming. To commemorate this revelation, we paired apricot and sage in a buttery, flaky, fantastic shortbread cookie. The fragrance of the sage paired with the sweet and tangy fruit balances beautifully with the simple cookie.

This recipe was intended to pair with a gin cocktail recipe that we are working on around here, and it did not disappoint. Sage and gin are long lost soulmates. If you’re looking for an interesting spin on a shortbread, you’ve come to the right place.

Apricot Sage Shortbread

Ingredients:

• 1 c and 1 tbs unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 c confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 c flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c dried apricots, diced
• 2 tbs sage, finely diced

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
2. In mixing bowl, combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, flour, sage and salt. Mix on medium until mixture is incorporated. Do not over mix. Add in apricots.
3. Remove dough from bowl and wrap in plastic wrap. Put in fridge for at least one hour.
4. Unwrap dough and roll out about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out circles, and put on baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake about 13-16 minutes or until golden brown and set.