Roasted Lentil Butter Cookie with Cumin and Caraway
February 4, 2016
Savoury and crunchy, these Roasted Lentil Butter Cookies with Cumin and Caraway combine the fragrance of savoury seeds with the crunch of roasted lentils. Dry roast lentils to bring out their earthy quality, then toast the cumin and caraway seeds to create layers of flavour. Cookies like this need very little sugar. Perfect for work, after dinner, or when you want to crunch away your afternoon. Use the leftover roasted lentils in salads, couscous, or in place of nuts or seeds. These cookies will not disappoint.
The Finer Cookie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for websites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This post contains affiliate links, which means The Finer Cookie will receive a small commission if you make a purchase using this link. This modest income helps support the website.
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 2/3 cup 212 grams 7.5 ounces roasted french/green lentils (recipe below)
- 1 1/4 cups 160 grams 5.6 ounces unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons 110 grams 3.8 ounces sugar
- 6 tablespoons 85 grams 3 ounces cold, unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1.5 tablespoons 1.5 tablespoons 1.5 tablespoons caraway seed
- 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon cumin seed
- 1/8 tablespoon 1/8 tablespoon 1/8 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons water (not optional) or aquavit (optional)
Ingredients for Simmering the Green Lentils
- 1 cup 212 grams 7.5 ounces green lentils
- 2 whole 2 whole 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons 3 tablespoons 3 tablespoons brown sugar or brown sugar cubes
Ingredients for Roasting the Green Lentils
- 212 grams cooked green lentils
- 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon vanilla sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
ROAST THE LENTILS
- Combine the water,star anise, cinnamon sticks, thyme, salt, and sugar in a medium saucepan.
- Line a tray with parchment and set aside
- Combine the white pepper, vanilla sugar, salt and ground cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.
- Ready the olive oil
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F with a rack set in the top third of the oven.
- Bring the water mixture to a vigorous simmer, then add the dry green lentils. Cook for 12-17 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Careful not to overcook them, as you’ll want them to remain whole and not split.
- Drain the lentils and shake excess water away.
- Measure 1 cup of cooked brown lentils in a bowl. Toss with olive oil and spice mixture. Combine well and spread the brown lentils evenly on the prepared tray
- Roast the lentils for about 15 minutes. Check them and stir briefly to test their dryness. If they are still a bit moist, roast for another 5 minutes and check again. Continue roasting until the lentils feel dry and crispy. Careful not to burn them.
MISE EN PLACE FOR THE COOKIE DOUGH
- Toast the cumin and caraway seeds until they are fragrant.
- Pulse the seeds, cinnamon, flour, sugar, salt in a food processor just until the seeds are coarsely chopped and everything is combined
- Measure the butter and set aside
- Ready the water (or Aquavit)
ASSEMBLE THE COOKIES
- Add the cold butter to the dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Add the water (or Aquavit) and pulse just until the mixture resembles damp crumbs—it should not be a smooth mass – but it should hold together when pressed. Pulse in a bit of extra water if necessary .
- Pour the mixture onto a clean counter.
- Form the dough into a rectangle about 4 to 5 inches by 9 to 10 inches. Press it firmly, squaring up the edges, to make an even compact layer, about 1/2 inch thick.
- Cover the dough with roasted lentils and gently knead the lentils into the dough.
- Wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Position racks in the upper and lower third of the oven.
- Line two trays with parchment paper.
SLICE AND BAKE THE COOKIES
- Unwrap the dough and transfer it to a cutting board.
- Use a long sharp serrated knife to cut the dough crosswise, into scant 3/8 inch slices. Use the knife to transfer the slices to a cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Slices will be fragile and require the support of the knife in transit.
- Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes until cookies are golden brown, (time depends on thickness of cookies). Rotate the sheets from top to bottom and front to back half way through the baking time to ensure even baking.
- Slide the parchment carefully onto a rack or set the pans themselves on a rack to cool. Cool cookies completely before stacking or storing. Cookies may be stored, airtight, for several days.
