Summer might not sound like the best time of the year for turning on the oven and baking a batch of cookies, but when one of the ingredients is a local nut that looks like something out of a Dr. Suess book, the motivation breaks through.
Sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina) is an interesting shrub; native to the eastern United States, adapts well to poor soil conditions, and has a wonderful aroma throughout early-to-mid-summer. If you look closely, you’ll notice that the flower you smell is amazingly bizarre, like a bright green spikey ball, or a misplaced sea creature… or something that might turn into the Lorax. And believe it or not, these little flowers are perfectly edible and add a very cool spin to the common tea cookie.
Start by harvesting the flowers, or nuglets. You won’t need a ton for the recipe, but remember, like any perennial, shrubs typically produce flowers once a season, so if you want to make these cookies again in the fall, it might be a good idea to pick a few handfuls.
Try to pick the freshest, biggest, and most vibrant green nuglets, as they will produce a more balanced flavor than older ones.
Leave the nuglets, seeds and all, out to dry for a few days, until their color turns less brilliant and take a crunchy texture. Be wary of bugs, mildew (if you live in a humid region), and other grime… as you would any other wild or natural food.
Once they are dried, crush them as fine as you can, to personal preference. I like a little grit in these cookies and crush them by hand as to spare some of the seeds, but you can grind them in a small blender to make a finer powder.
Now you have the sweet fern spice. In taste, it is similar to nutmeg, and you can add more or less to your biscuits as you please. Below is a general recipe, but you can also simply incorporate the spice into your favorite cookie (or scone or loaf!) as you wish. Et, bon appetit!
Sweet Fern Tea Cookies
(Makes 10-12 small biscuits)
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 (+/-) Tablespoons crushed sweet fern nuglets
- 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup sweetener (brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, agave syrup, etc)
- Dash of salt
- 1 (+/-) cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon whole milk
DIRECTIONS:
- Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth but not sticky. If dough is too dry (crumbles), slowly add more milk. If too wet, slowly add more flour.
- Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic bag. Leave wrapped dough in refrigerator for several hours to let the flavors develop and enhance structure.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Remove dough from fridge and let it get to room temperature
- Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
- Form dough into roughly 1.5-2-inch cookies, wet your hands to smooth and round the corners if dough crumbles
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until slightly browned (you will smell the sweet fern cooking!)
- Let the cookies cool on the pan before moving, and let them cool to preference before eating!
Glamping Queen 
Love the article about the cookies 👍😊
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