These Rose Cookies are buttery shortbread cookies flavored with floral rose water and filled with dark chocolate. They are drizzled with white chocolate and decorated with rose petals. This recipe makes the perfect treat for Valentine’s Day!
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Rose water shortbread cookies are buttery shortbread cookies with the perfect hint of floral rose water. They’re filled with dark chocolate and drizzled with white chocolate.
My favorite shortbread cookie recipe is the base for this rose water cookies recipe. It’s super simple to make!
If you love shortbread, definitely try my Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Cookies and Shortbread Cookies with Mini Chocolate Chips.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- The buttery, melt in your mouth texture of these cookies with rosewater will keep you going back for more!
- This rose cookies recipe is made with just 9 ingredients.
- These rose water shortbread cookies comes together in one bowl. It only takes a few steps to mix it together.
- Rose water adds the perfect hint of floral flavor just like in my Rose Water Quinoa Salad.
Ingredients
Below are useful notes on how to make these cookies with rose water.
- Butter: Use room temperature, unsalted butter.
- Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar gives these cookies their soft texture and their perfect amount of sweetness.
- 1 egg yolk: The egg yolk adds extra richness to these cookies.
- Rose Water: Rose water is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine. It’s made by distilling fresh rose petals with water. It adds a floral scent and an enticing flavor to food. Rose water is potent, so use it sparingly. For more Middle Eastern inspired cookies, try my hibiscus cookies and chocolate tahini cookies.
- Dried Rose Petals: Dried rose petals add a hint of flavor and pretty specks to these rose shortbread cookies. You can find them online or in Middle Eastern stores. Crush them with a mortar and pestle or chop them with a knife.
- Dark chocolate: I use Lindt 70% dark chocolate.You can also use dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Try my chocolate chip orange cookies for another yummy treat!
- White chocolate: Use white chocolate baking bars or good quality white chocolate chips.
Please see recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add 2-3 teaspoons of freeze dried strawberry powder to the dough for a naturally pink color.
- Instead of rose water, use orange blossom water.
- Salted butter can be used in place of unsalted. In this case, you don’t need to add any additional salt.
- Add chopped nuts to the cookie dough for some crunch. I recommend pistachios or almonds.
Instructions
Step 1 (Photo 1 above): Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy.
Step 2 (Photo 2 above): Mix in the rose water and vanilla. Next, mix in the egg yolk.
Step 3 (Photo 3 above): Add the dry ingredients. Next, mix in the crushed rose petals and chocolate.
Step 4 (Photo 4 above): Divide the dough in half. Roll out each half on sheets of parchment paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Place each sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Cover the tray with plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours or until firm.
Step 5 (Photo 5 above): Cut out cookies using a cookie cutter. Chill 20 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
Step 6 (Photo 6 above): Melt the white chocolate in a heat proof bowl in the microwave. Dip the cookies in the melted chocolate. Sprinkle crushed dried rose petals on top.
Expert Tips
- Rolling out the dough. It’s easiest to roll out the dough before you chill it.
- Doneness. Bake til edges are lightly golden brown.
Recipe FAQs
Rose water is a common ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine. It adds a lovely floral scent and a unique taste to food. If you haven’t tasted rose water yet, I highly recommend it!
You can find rose water in Middle Eastern stores. I’ve also been seeing it more in the international foods aisle of many grocery stores.
Store these rosewater cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Freeze cookies in an airtight for up to 2 months.
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Rose Cookies
Ingredients
Rose Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons rose water
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces dark chocolate chopped, or 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons dried rose petals crushed and finely chopped (optional)
White Chocolate Topping
- 4 ounces white chocolate melted
- dried rose petals optional
Instructions
Rose Water Cookies
- Sift together the flour and salt and set aside. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the rose water and vanilla, followed by the egg yolk.
- On low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chopped chocolate and crushed rose petals until just combined.
- Once the dough has been mixed, divide it in half. Roll each half out on sheets of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour. Roll out to a circle about 1/4 inch thick. Place each circle on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and chill 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Once chilled, take the dough out of the fridge. Lift the parchment paper off the tray and onto the counter. Run a long knife carefully between the parchment paper and the cookie dough. Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
- Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes until the edges just begin to turn golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer them to racks to cool completely.
White Chocolate Topping
- Once the cookies are baked, melt the white chocolate. Set your microwave to 50% power and heat the white chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Give it a stir between intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Use a spoon to drizzle white chocolate over the cookies. Alternatively, dip or dredge 1/3 or 1/2 of each cookie in the chocolate. Use the side of the bowl or a small spatula to gently wipe away excess chocolate from the bottom or edge of the cookie. Place on a wire rack placed over some parchment paper or a baking sheet (this will catch the chocolate that may drip).
- Top with crushed rose petals, if using.
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Kath
These cookies are a perfect staple for gallentines ♡ will absolutely be bringing them with me as gifts for everyone.
Natalie
Hey Kath-awww I agree! Definitely perfect for Gallentines! Thank you so much for making them and for your sweet comment. Happy Gallentine’s!
Trish
These cookies sound absolutely phenomenal. Before I make them, I have a question.
In the icing instructions, it reads:
Once the cookies are baked, melt the white chocolate. Set your microwave to 50% power and heat the white chocolate and shortening in the microwave in 30 second intervals. Give it a stir between intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
How much shortening goes in the white chocolate melting? I can’t find shortening listed in the ingredients. Did I totally miss something?
awaiting reply so I can make these. Thanks!
Natalie
Hi Trish! Thanks so much for your kind words and thank you for your question. I’m sorry for any confusion. I had deleted the shortening from the ingredients but forgot to remove it from the instructions. Appreciate your bringing that to my attention. I will delete that from the instructions. You’ll just want to melt the white chocolate by itself. Thanks again and excited for you to try these cookies! Hope you love them. Please let me know if you have any other questions. -Natalie
Georgia
I made these last week and they came out great—so buttery and melty in the mouth.
My question: Do you have a recommendation for where to buy edible rose petals? My cookies taste great, but look so plain without them.
Natalie
Hi Georgia! Thank you so much for making these lemon rose water cookies. I’m so happy you enjoyed them! I get my dried edible rose petals from my local Middle Eastern store. They have lots of different dried herbs and flowers. I’m not sure if you have a store like that in your area. Otherwise, I would suggest looking online. I hope you’re able to find some! You’re right, they definitely make the prettiest decoration! Thanks for taking the time to comment and please let me know if you have any other questions 🙂 Natalie
Natalie
Hi Danielle. Thanks for your comment. I’m so sorry about the inconsistencies and confusion. I am updating the recipe right now. I had copied the recipe from my other lemon shortbread recipe and must’ve mixed up the recipes slightly. Apologize again for that!