Blueberry Candied Thyme Sugar Cookies (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Blueberry Jam

01 - 70 grams frozen wild blueberries
02 - 60 grams white sugar
03 - 30 millilitres water

→ Candied Thyme

04 - 4–5 sprigs fresh thyme, washed
05 - 32 grams pasteurized egg white
06 - 25–38 grams granulated white sugar

→ Cookie Dough

07 - 364 grams all-purpose flour
08 - 3.7 grams baking soda (3/4 teaspoon)
09 - 4.5 grams salt (3/4 teaspoon)
10 - 350 grams white sugar
11 - Leaves from 4–5 thyme sprigs
12 - 226 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
13 - Blueberry jam (prepared above)
14 - 15 millilitres vanilla bean paste
15 - 1 large egg
16 - 1 egg yolk
17 - 2–3 drops red or purple gel food colouring

→ Thyme Sugar for Rolling

18 - 50 grams white sugar
19 - Leaves from 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme

# Instructions:

01 - Combine frozen wild blueberries, 60 grams sugar, and 30 millilitres water in a steel saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens enough that dragging a spoon reveals the base of the pan for a few seconds. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Set aside.
02 - Pour pasteurized egg white into one shallow bowl and granulated sugar into another. Dip each thyme sprig into the egg white, allow excess to drip off, then coat with sugar. Shake gently to remove extra sugar. Place coated thyme on a tray and let dry for 20–30 minutes or until crystallized. Set aside for garnish.
03 - Set oven to 175°C (350°F). Line tray with parchment paper.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until evenly incorporated.
05 - In a food processor, blend 350 grams sugar with thyme leaves until integrated. Set aside.
06 - In a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until fluffy and pale, about 1 minute. Add the thyme sugar and continue to beat for 2–3 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and creamy.
07 - Add vanilla bean paste, whole egg, egg yolk, and the cooled blueberry jam to the creamed butter mixture. Mix on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until fully combined, scraping sides of the bowl halfway.
08 - Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture in batches, blending on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape sides and bottom to ensure no dry pockets remain.
09 - Add 2–3 drops red or purple gel food colouring and gently mix to achieve the desired hue. Using a 2-tablespoon scoop or weighing 40-gram portions, shape dough into balls.
10 - Rub thyme leaves into 50 grams sugar with fingers to infuse the aroma. Roll each dough ball completely in thyme sugar.
11 - Arrange 5–6 dough balls per baking tray, leaving at least 5 centimeters between each. Bake for 8–9 minutes until edges are just set but centers remain soft. Immediately after baking, use a cookie cutter to gently shape each cookie into a perfect round if desired.
12 - Allow cookies to cool completely on a rack. Garnish with candied thyme sprigs before serving for an elegant presentation.

# Notes:

01 - Pulling cookies from the oven while the centers appear slightly under-baked guarantees a tender, chewy texture upon cooling.
02 - Candied thyme can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead of serving for optimal freshness and appearance.

Back