Edible Trees This Winter: Gluten-Free Woodland Shortbread Cookies

Nothing speaks truer to the winter season than cookies and evergreen trees- so why not combine the two into regenerative foods?!

This unique gluten-free shortbread cookie recipe, from Gather Victoria, is so wonderful because it involves the baker to wildcraft, or harvest, fresh pine needles! And while it’s easy to stay inside during these cold and wet winter months, a quick jaunt outside for a few pine needles will literally give you a much-needed breath of fresh air. 

For all you live Christmas tree-ers, well hey, you can easily use some pine needles from your Christmas tree! You may be wondering are redwood needles edible? Yes - we are telling you to eat your Christmas tree!

A quick jaunt outside for a few pine needles will literally give you a much-needed breath of fresh air during the winter months.

Beyond the breath of fresh air, incorporating edible trees in the form of pine needles into your baking will add a wonderful dose of Vitamin C that your skin will certainly thank you for.  Oh - and this regenerative food will pack a punch of Vitamin A as well. 

While this gluten-free shortbread cookie recipe specifies, Grand Fir, you can really use whatever fir, pine, or redwood that grows in your climate (just be certain to avoid yew trees). When harvesting the needles, be sure to not harm the tree. Do not clip the top of a tree. Rather, clip young needles from the tips of branches. Also, be sure to pull from various branches, rather than all from one branch. Younger needles will be less resinous and have more fragrance and thus flavor. The recipe calls for 1 cup total of needles, so be sure not to over harvest.

Most trees with needles are edible - like pines, firs, and redwoods, but be sure to avoid yew trees.

Once you have your needles, follow the recipe below to wow your senses and indulge in all the winter feels with these edible trees!

Woodland Shortbread: Scottish Grand Fir Oat Shortbread (Gluten Free)

Ingredients:

½ cup of fresh needles (fir, pine or redwood) roughly chopped

½ cup of fresh needles (fir, pine or redwood) finely ground (coffee grinder or food processor works great here)

1 ¼ cup salted butter

3.5 cups oat flour

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 orange sliced in quarters

Optional: 1 tablespoon of orange zest

Instructions:

Brown 1 cup of butter - cook the butter in a pan on medium low heat until it reaches a golden brown. Remove from heat, add the roughly chopped needles, and cover with a lid. This will infuse the browned butter with the flavor and aromatics of the needles. After at least 20 minutes, strain the needles out of the butter and re-measure your quantity of butter. If it has dropped below 1 cup (which it likely has) add what you need to bring it back to 1 cup. Let the infused butter chill until it reaches a softened consistency.

Cream the butter, sugar and finely ground needles together (along with the orange zest if using). Add oat flour until well combined. Texture will be crumbly but hold together when pressed together. 

With hands, gather dough and form into a cylinder with a 2 inch diameter. Wrap with plastic wrap (or better yet - beeswax wrap) and either refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or place in the freezer until firmed up (about 20 minutes). 

Pre-heat oven to 325 when dough is firmed up and ready to bake. Line your baking tray with parchment paper.

Take your orange slices and rub the juicy part over the outside of the dough log. 

Slice the log into ¼ inch thick cookies and place them on your lined baking sheet, about ½ an inch apart from each other. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Make extras and share with your neighbors and friends! Enjoy!

Other delicious perennial plant recipes that will help you reverse climate change:

★ Whip up our no bake, decadent, chocolate lover's recipe Aphrodisiac Chocolate Truffles

★ After a day in the sun, blend up a juicy and satisfying sun protective smoothie

Want more recipe inspiration with edible trees?