Salted Chocolate and Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies

What would our world look like without salt? More specifically, what would the culinary world taste like without wonderful coarse sea salt? Definitely more dull. Duller? More duller? Any way you say it, salt adds so much pep to our palates! I had just recently purchased some coarse Pacific Sea Salt from Penzey’s Spices in Appleton and thought these Salted Chocolate and Vanilla Bean cookies were crying out to be made with it. I love how the sea salt crystals seem to catapult this cookie into the “sophisticated” and “unique” realm while also being simple and sweet. I added a couple teaspoons of water to the dough as it was mixing to allow it to come together a little easier, but otherwise stuck to the recipe (using a vanilla bean, rather than extract). This would be a great recipe to double and put the unbaked rolls into the freezer, taking one out to slice and bake when the need arises.