Sakura Petal Cookies

Directions

1. 1
   Bring the butter to room temperature.
2. 2
   Sift the ingredients together.
3. 3
   Rinse the preserved cherry blossom leaves, and soak in clean water to remove the salt.
4. 4
   Pat dry and finely mince.
5. 5
   Add the softened butter, sugar, and sakura-an into a bowl.
6. 6
   Whisk well after each addition.
7. 7
   Add in food colouring if you wish!
8. 8
   Add in the dry ingredients, and the chopped leaves.
9. 9
   Stir until the dough comes together.
10. 10
    If you are not using cookie cutters, arrange the dough on the baking sheet in small rounds.
11. 11
    If you are using cookie cutters, roll out the dough to a 5 mm sheet, and chill it for about 30 minutes in the refrigerator before cutting.
12. 12
    Bake the cookies at 180C for 15-20 minutes.
13. 13
    Cool the cookies on a wire rack.
14. 14
    The cookies will smell even better if you use the pickled leaves as well as sakura liqueur.
15. 15
    Make your own sakura-an.