Shortbread is a simple and delicate cookie with a distinctive, buttery flavor and dense, crumbly texture. These cookies are fairly easy to make, so if you've mastered them and now want to switch things up and play with your shortbread’s flavors, try using this special Middle Eastern spice to add a refreshing tart note.

Sumac is a spice with sour and acidic taste, similar to a lemon, and it's an unexpectedly delicious flavoring in desserts. Since sumac is a powder, rather than a liquid, it's better for shortbread than liquid flavorings, adding tartness without messing up the delicate balance of moisture and dryness in the dough.

To bake shortbread with sumac, simply incorporate a few tablespoons at a time into your dough, tasting as you go, and for extra flavor, add a final sprinkle of sumac on top once the cookies have been baked. Besides desserts, sumac is most commonly found in savory dishes, especially those that are starch-based.