Spruce tip shortbread cookies are a delicious way to bring the flavor of the forest into your kitchen. Made with tender young spruce tips harvested in spring, this spruce tip recipe has a subtle citrusy, pine-like flavor that pairs beautifully with rich shortbread. Make sure to save some spruce tips to make spruce tip soda!
These unique cookies are perfect for foragers looking for creative ways to use spruce tips beyond syrups and teas. With their delicate texture and woodland-inspired flavor, spruce tip shortbread cookies make a memorable addition to holiday cookie trays, afternoon tea, or any occasion where you want to share a taste of the outdoors.
I first made spruce tip shortbread cookies a few years ago, shortly after creating my spruce tip pesto recipe. Back then, I planned to share the recipe on Hildaskitchenblog, but before I could, I misplaced it. 🤦🏽♀️ That's what I get for scribbling recipes on random scraps of paper.
In a way, I'm glad the original recipe was lost because this version is even better than I remember the first one being. With fresh spruce tips, orange zest, cardamom, and crunchy pecans, these buttery shortbread cookies are packed with flavor and well worth the wait!
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What Are Spruce Tips?
Spruce tips are the bright green, tender new growth that appears on spruce trees each spring. These soft shoots emerge from the ends of branches and are covered by a papery brown sheath that falls away as they grow. Unlike mature spruce needles, spruce tips are delicate, mild, and pleasantly aromatic.
Their flavor is often described as citrusy, resinous, and slightly herbal, with notes of lemon, evergreen, and rosemary. Because of their unique flavor, spruce tips are a favorite among foragers and can be used in everything from syrups and teas to cookies, cakes, vinegars, and infused honey. They're also valued for their vitamin C content and have long been used to make teas and remedies.
When and Where to Harvest Spruce Tips
Spruce tips are only available for a short time each spring, typically from early May to June, depending on your elevation and climate. The best time to harvest them is when they're bright green, soft, and about 1 to 2 inches long. Once the tips begin to harden and develop mature needles, their flavor becomes less desirable and their texture tougher.
Look for spruce trees growing in forests and mountain regions. In Montana, spruce tips are commonly harvested from Engelmann spruce and blue spruce trees. Before harvesting, make sure you've correctly identified the tree and have permission to forage on the property.
When gathering spruce tips, harvest responsibly by taking only a few tips from each branch and never stripping an entire tree. Sustainable harvesting maintains the tree's health and ensures a healthy crop of new growth in future seasons.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Spruce Tips: Freshly foraged spruce tips. You only need approximately ¼ cup for this recipe.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar for the cookie dough and confectioner's sugar for the glaze. Powdered sugar can also be used as a substitute for the granulated sugar if you prefer a melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture vs a sandy, sugary texture.
- Flour: All-purpose flour
- Butter: I used unsalted butter, but if all you have is salted, simply omit the additional salt.
- Citrus: One Cutie (tangerine), or a small orange.
- Pecans: May substitute with walnuts or leave them out if you have nut allergies.
- Cardamom: Cardamom is not listed in the ingredient photo because it was a last-minute idea; I highly recommend adding it if you have it! Not sure what cardamom is? Check out my cardamom syrup post!
*See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Spruce Tip Cookies
- Add cubed butter, granulated sugar, pecans, salt, and 3 tablespoons of spruce tips to a food processor, pulse until combined.
- Add vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of orange juice, ½ of the zest, and flour. Pulse until mixed, then transfer the cookie dough onto plastic wrap. Roll the dough into a log and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Use a bench scraper to slice the dough into ¼" sections. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 325℉ oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.
- Whisk confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, and the remaining orange zest until smooth.
- Add 2 tablespoons of spruce tips and 2 tablespoons of pecans to a small food processor. Pulse until ground.
- Dip cooled cookies into icing and garnish with ground spruce tips and pecans.
Variations
You can keep this recipe simple by omitting the pecans or substituting them with walnuts or your favorite nuts. The orange juice and zest can be substituted with lemon juice and zest for a brighter citrus flavor.
Feel free to adjust the cardamom to taste, add more, use less, or leave it out altogether. If you don't have cardamom on hand, cinnamon makes a delicious substitute.
Storage
Store spruce tip shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To prevent the glaze from sticking, place a sheet of parchment paper between cookie layers.
For longer storage, freeze the cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough for up to 3 months. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag or airtight container. When ready to bake, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight, slice, and bake as directed.
FAQs
What do spruce tips taste like?
Spruce tips have a bright, citrusy flavor with subtle evergreen notes. Many people compare their taste to a combination of lemon, rosemary, and pine.
Can I use frozen spruce tips?
Yes. Freeze spruce tips in an airtight container or freezer bag and use them directly from frozen in this recipe.
What type of spruce tree should I harvest from?
Several spruce species have edible tips, including Engelmann spruce, blue spruce, and white spruce. Always positively identify a tree before harvesting.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. The dough can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake.
Can I freeze spruce tip shortbread cookies?
Yes. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Pro Tips
- Use young, tender spruce tips for the best flavor and texture. Older spruce tips can be tougher and more resinous.
- Don't overmix the dough, just pulse until it comes together. Overmixing can result in tough cookies.
- Chill the dough at least 30 minutes before baking to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Overbaking can make shortbread dry and crumbly.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack, as they will be delicate when hot.
More Foraging Recipes
If you enjoy this spruce tip recipe, you may enjoy these other foraged recipes!
Recipe
Spruce Tip Shortbread Cookies with Orange and Cardamom
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup pecans (coarsly chopped)
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoon spruce tips
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Cutie (tangerine) (juiced and zested, divided)
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
Icing
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoon orange juice (from Cutie)
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (from Cutie)
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon spruce tips
- 2 tablespoon pecans
Instructions
- Add cubed butter, granulated sugar, pecans, salt, and 3 tablespoons of spruce tips to a food processor, pulse until combined.
- Add vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons of orange juice, ½ of the zest, and flour. Pulse until mixed, then transfer the cookie dough onto plastic wrap. Roll the dough into a log and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.
- Use a bench scraper to slice the dough into ¼" sections. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 325℉ oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden around the edges.
Prepare Icing & Garnish Cookies
- Whisk confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, and the remaining zest until smooth.
- Add 2 tablespoons of spruce tips and 2 tablespoons of pecans to a small food processor. Pulse until ground.
- Dip cooled cookies into icing and garnish with ground spruce tips and pecans.
Video
Notes
- Use young, tender spruce tips for the best flavor and texture. Older spruce tips can be tougher and more resinous.
- Don't overmix the dough, just pulse until it comes together. Overmixing can result in tough cookies.
- Chill the dough at least 30 minutes before baking to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Remove the cookies from the oven when the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Overbaking can make shortbread dry and crumbly.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack, as they will be delicate when hot.
Hilda Sterner says
I hope you give this recipe a try!
Kelly Methey says
I love shortbread cookies and these take shortbread to another level! They are really good, so unique and flavorful. I love all the wonderful, unusual, delicious recipes you come up with!
Hilda Sterner says
Yay! I am thrilled that you love them kelly!
Hungry4Hucks says
Well, it's not like a chronic cookie monster needed another 5 star cookie in his inventory, but this one is a keeper. We have loads of spruce and making pesto with the tips is my favorite. Never thought of making cookies with the tips. I wonder what other amazing cookies I'm missing out on...?
Hilda Sterner says
There are so many ways to use spruce tips, we're just scratching the surface! I will definitely be sharing more recipes in the future. Thank you for your review!
Lori Ross says
These cookies are so good! Didn’t make them but got to try them! Thanks Hilda for always coming up with new, great recipes! Love how you bring the great outdoors into your home!
Hilda Sterner says
Aren't they, though? I can't stop making/eating them! Somebody stop me!
Kim says
These cookies are so delicious. Very light and tasty. Thank you Hilda.
Hilda Sterner says
My pleasure, Kim, thank you for taking the time to review them! 🙂