Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread can be easily cut into shapes for fast, festive cookies.
Nothing feels quite as empowering as knowing a recipe by heart and sensing when everything is just right: your hands find each ingredient in your pantry by memory; your eyes notice the ideal consistency of the batter and the desired thickness of the rolled out dough; you know just when to pull out your dish from the oven. It’s powerful.
My grandmother loved shortbread and its practicality as an anytime cookie that pairs just as well with a strong cup of coffee as it does with a strong martini. And she was right: this buttery dough lends itself to snacking or indulging at any hour of the day with ingredients that are already in every stocked pantry.
Chocolate dipped for an extra sweet treat! I recommend bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate to add contrast the buttery cookie.
While I love a good cookie studded with fruits, nuts and chocolates, this recipe stands on its own as a classic shortbread with a rich buttery crumb. You can work efficiently and bake them in a pan or roll them out to ¼-½ inch thickness and cut into batons or shapes.
I’ll be posting variations of this classic recipe that incorporates fruits and nuts and even a savory rendition with cheeses and herbs. Until then, these anytime cookies will be making an appearance at my breakfast table, teatime offerings and even alongside a stiff martini. Enjoy, FoodFam!
Shortbread Cookies
Be careful not to overmix this dough- only mix until the flour is just incorporated.
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for a more intense flavor
Using your electric mixer, beat your butter for 3-5 minutes on medium speed until fluffy. Add your sugar and beat for 1-2 additional minutes, pausing halfway to add your vanilla and salt and to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Mix on low as you add your flour in ½ cup intervals, scraping the sides of your bowl every 30 seconds. Your dough should be only slightly incorporated; do not over mix. Portion two large sheets of cling wrap or food service film on your counter and divide your dough evenly on the sheets. If needed, take a rolling pin and lightly roll each mound of dough so that they are approximately five inches across- this makes for easier rolling once the dough has chilled. Wrap each disk of dough with additional cling wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Roll out each disk of dough until it is 1/4-1/2 inch thick (shortbread is crumbly enough that thin cookies will just crack if rolled too thin). If dough is sticking to your surface, use 1/2 tablespoon flour- use only what you must and be careful not to cake your dough with too much flour. Cut out your desired shapes.
TSP: If your dough is warm and becomes too soft to get crisp cut lines, refrigerate for an additional 15 minutes and roll out again. Then, after cutting your cookies, pop your tray of cut cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking so that the butter doesn’t leak and soften the edges of your shapes.
Use food coloring to turn white chocolate into cookie icing.
Bake for 8 minutes, rotate your pans and bake for another 6-7 minutes. Your cookies should be slightly firm with golden edges. Cool your trays on racks for 7 minutes before transferring your cookies directly onto the cooling racks for another 15 minutes. Be patient and do not try to lift your cookies off of either the baking tray or the racks prematurely- the rich butter doesn’t have much to bind it to the flour and lifting them before they have cooled will result in broken cookies.
Dress up your shortbread by dipping half of each cookie in melted chocolate or adding food coloring to white chocolate or icings for painted cookies. This house enjoys them as-is with coffee, tea or a stiff martini. Enjoy, FoodFam!
Buttery cookies dipped in semi-sweet chocolate, perfect for breakfast, teatime or cocktail hour!
