Rosa Cookies
by Jennifer ParraOur Rosa Cookies use beet juice to naturally dye the cookies a pretty pink color. With the cinnamon, Mexican vanilla, and a touch of salt, these buttery cookies are always a hit.
Rosa Cookies
Rated 5 stars by 1 users
Category
Desserts
Servings
12-15
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Author:
Jennifer Parra
You might be surprised to learn Mercado Lula started out as a catering business, providing Mexican inspired box lunches to companies in the Bay Area. One of the first recipes I developed for that menu was our Rosa Cookie. Originally setting out to make a cookie inspired by the big pink polvorones found in panaderías, I found myself wanting to use a natural dye, much like how textiles are often dyed in México using naturally derived ingredients. I discovered making a beet dye was not only simple, but would yield a beautiful pink color.
For an added twist, and fitting for the name, you can add a bit of pure rose extract to make a cookie that might feel suitable for a scene out of “Like Water for Chocolate.” The PERFECT Valentine’s treat!
Ingredients
2 Whole Red Beets, Cooked (plain)
¼ cup Water
-
½ cup Course Sugar
2 sticks Butter, Unsalted, Softened at Room Temp
2/3 cup White Sugar, Granulated
½ teaspoon Cinnamon, Ground
-
¼ teaspoon Mexican Vanilla
½ teaspoon Salt
2 cups All-Purpose Flour
Directions
Beet Dye
To make beet dye, rinse cooked beets in cold water then add to food processor or blender. Add ¼ cup water and blend. Add additional water and blend until you get a thick puréed consistency. Strain puree to extract a concentrated juice that should be a dark purplish red color and a thin consistency.
In a small bowl, combine course sugar with 1 teaspoon beet dye and whisk the sugar in dye until you get a nice pink color. You can add a couple drops at a time of additional beet dye as needed for a deeper pink color, but make sure the sugar is not too wet. Spread sugar out on parchment paper to dry while making the cookies.
Cookies
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. At the same time, make sure butter has been left out to reach room temp.
In a bowl, combine room temp butter and white sugar and beat together using a mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add cinnamon, vanilla, and salt and mix until well combined.
Scrape butter mixture down side of bowl.
Gradually add flour ¼ cup at a time and mix until smooth.
Once flour and butter mixture are combined, start to add beet dye slowly, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired pink color. The trick is to add enough color while not adding too much liquid to the dough. The consistency of the dough should be soft and pliable but not sticky. If too soft, you can place the dough in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to harden a bit.
Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough. Place about 3 inches apart on parchment lined baking sheet.
Slightly flatten dough and sprinkle with a bit of the pink course sugar, preferably in the center of each cookie.
Bake until set in center, about 15 minutes, being careful not to over bake, which might compromise the pretty pink color.
Place cookies on cooling rack and allow to cool. Enjoy!