Classic Shortbread

Shortbread is my very favorite cookie. Buttery, sweet, full of floral vanilla flavor and incredibly tender, these cookies are perfection. Serve them with tea in the afternoon or hot chocolate at night, and you have a perfectly cozy treat.

I like to make them for gifts around the holidays; I have several shortbread pans that make decorative patterns on the tops of the cookies. Press the dough into the patterned pan, bake it, then flip it over and voila! A little festive holiday scene is etched into your cookies.

Be careful not to crumble your cookies when you wrap them; I suggest using a cookie tin or cellophane bag carefully placed into a gift box. And make sure you make an extra batch to stay home with you!

Ingredients:

2 sticks softened butter

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

Method:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Prepare your shortbread pan with Baker’s Joy spray.

Cream together the butter and sugar until smooth, light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract and mix well. Beat in the flour until the dough comes together. It will be a stiff dough.

Press dough into the prepared pan. Prick the dough all over with a fork to allow steam to escape.

Bake the shortbread in the oven until light gold all along the top and a deeper gold on the edges; about 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool five minutes in the pan before unmolding onto a clean work surface.

Cut the shortbread into 12 wedges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Enjoy with tea, hot chocolate or coffee!

Comments

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