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In my earliest herbal baking thoughts, I imagined two goals. The first was transforming herbs primarily used for tea or alcohol extractions into edible delights making for enjoyable medicine taking. The second was also a transformation, this involving the kitchen as herbal apothecary that anyone could operate. It seemed simple and natural. Ultimately, both goals proved challenging. Adding herbal preparations into baked goods sometimes makes them taste awful. And making herbal preparations sometimes creates cumbersome baking. I am working these out, among other trials.
Lately, I have been having a problem quieting my mind. I am not sure why this is happening, but songs that I do not even like become stuck and I hear them over and over. I don’t like it. I am practicing replacement with a mantra.
Progress not Perfection. This is actually a motto from an amazing online educational resource, Marie Forleo’s B-School. The wisdom, passion, and commitment of this woman and her team are truly brilliant. Throughout her programs, she acknowledges self-doubt as normal and encourages the concept of progress not perfection. I highly recommend checking MarieForleo.com out.
I easily get tripped up by amazing recipe sites, photos, cookbooks, etc. They all look so perfect. I often feel I should never post any of my recipes or ideas until they are perfect. And then I think I would never post in that case. These are imperfect cookies, but yummy, nevertheless. Baking them transforms the kitchen into an alchemical bakery. Herbal baking progress not perfection.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 42cookies | 25minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 8-10minutes |
|
|
- For oatmeal cookies
- 1 cup all-purpose organic flour
- 1/3 cup coconut flour, organic
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 stick unsalted organic butter, softened*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated organic sugar
- 1/2 cup nettle infused balsamic vinegar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 cup quick cooking organic oatmeal not instant oatmeal
- 1/2 cup hazelnut flour
- 1/2 cup dried organic cherries 4 ounces
- Nettle infused Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 cup dried nettle leaf I used a mixture of nettles, chickweed, plantain leaf, and hyssop
- 16 ounces balsamic vinegar measurements are approximates, see instructions below
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Adjust racks to separate oven into thirds. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Sift together all-purpose flour, coconut flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter either by hand using wooden spoon or in electric mixer.
- Add vanilla extract, mix to combine. Add sugar and cream together until smooth.
- Add herbal infused balsamic vinegar, beating. Mixture will look curdled and slightly separated, which is fine. If mixing by hand, whisk vigorously for approximately 1 minute. Add egg, mixing until blended into liquid mixture.
- Stir hazelnut flour and oatmeal together in small mixing bowl.
- Gradually add dry ingredients, alternating between all-purpose and coconut flour mixture and oatmeal hazelnut flour mixture. Mix well after each addition.
- Stir in dried cherries.
- Drop well-rounded teaspoonfuls onto lined cookie sheets approximately two inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes until just beginning to turn light brown on tops. Cookies will be soft, but will harden as they cool.
- Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes, then remove with metal spatula to wire racks to completely cool.
- Wash and dry a one-quart canning jar. Best practice is to sterilize jar before using for herbal infusion making. To sterilize jar, place a Mason jar lid on the bottom of a large pot. Rest canning jar on top of lid and fill pot with hot water. Bring to boil and boil gently for 10 minutes. When cooled slightly, remove jar with tongs or other utensil as to not touch with your hands. Cool and dry completely.
- Fill jar halfway with dried herbs. Herbs should be in small pieces, not powdered.
- Pour balsamic vinegar over herbs, making sure that vinegar covers herbs by at least ½ inch.
- Place a small piece of parchment paper or natural wax paper over top of jar and then secure lid.
- Label jar with name of herbs, type of vinegar, date prepared and date that it will be ready to strain. Cover label with packaging tape to protect it from becoming soiled.
- Store in cool, dark place for 4-6 weeks.
- Strain vinegar using a strainer lined with cheesecloth. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Pour strained vinegar into bottle and label. Best to keep refrigerated.
*Dried herbs are best for making herbal infused vinegars as fresh may introduce water into vinegar and you do not want this.
**The sky is the limit for creating herbal infused vinegars. I used dried nettles, dried chickweed, dried hyssop, and dried plantain leaf infused in balsamic vinegar. Feel free to use your creativity and inspiration to make vinegars for baking or other culinary uses.
** Using organic ingredients whenever possible will make your baked goods all the more nourishing. For these cookies, use organic butter, eggs, sugar, flours, oatmeal and dried cherries if available.
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