Kinako Shortbread Cookies

I love incorporating childhood memories in my kitchen. Sometimes, I’ll think of Pepperidge Farm’s Chessmen Cookies, do you remember those? When I was a kid, I used to dump out a whole package of Chessmen Cookies and pretend I was playing a deadly game of chess. After every move, a cookie would be eliminated and sent to my stomach. Check. Mate.

As a pastry chef, it’s fun for me to elevate the nostalgic and often ordinary flavors of yesteryear into something greater. The shortbread co