Shortbread Cookies Recipe

One of my favorite afternoon treats with a spot of tea, is shortbread cookies. They are delicate and crisp, and just barely sweet. Shortbread cookies are good with berries or other fruits on the side for a nice, light dessert, too.

Although these cookies are a traditional Christmas cookie, they are good year round for snacks or desserts. They are easy to make, and require few ingredients. You probably have all the ingredients on your shelf.
They are surprisingly easy to make, and should be in the repetroire of all bakers and non-bakers out there. Here is an easy shortbread cookies recipe that you'll want to make over and over again.

Shortbread Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioners or icing)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. Whisk the flour with the salt. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter until smooth with an electric mixer (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract, then stir in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least an hour or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) with the rack in the middle of the oven.
4. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds or whatever shape you prefer using lightly floured cookie cutters. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and put in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked.
6. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly brown. Cool on rack.

Shortbread keeps best in an airtight container for about a week or frozen for several months.
Makes about 20 shortbread cookies.

You can play with the texture of shortbread, too. You can change it by replacing 1/4 cup of the flour with rice flour, which will give them a somewhat crunchy texture. If you prefer a more delicate tasting shortbread with a melt-in-your-mouth texture, replace 1/2 cup of the flour with cornstarch (corn flour).

Shortbreads can be cut into various shapes using your favorite cookie cutter, or baked in a tart pan. For more variations, sprinkle the baked cookies with granulated white sugar or dip the ends of the shortbread in melted chocolate.

The secret to good shortbread is to use a good quality unsalted butter (look for Grade AA or A) and pure vanilla extract. The best pure vanilla extract that I have found, although it is quite expensive, is Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract. It can be found in specialty food stores and online. Just don't use those labeled "imitation" vanilla extracts as they are made with synthetic vanilla (from glycoside found in the sapwood of certain conifers or from coal extracts) and leave a bitter aftertaste.