SHORTBREAD COOKIES #1

I love Shortbread Cookies. These are the things that Costco and other places sell in those tins you get for Christmas.  Those cookies are good but have been around for a long time so are not near as good as homemade Shortbread Cookies. 

My family never made these cookies, and it was just a few years ago that they came onto my radar.  I love them in the tins that they sell at Christmas but even more when I make them fresh. I started with the Dutch Butter Cookies which are very similar to a shortbread cookie.  I love the Dutch Butter Cookies, but they are just a bit different than the shortbread cookies. 

You can use shortbread for crusts for trifles, pie crust, for lemon bars. It is a very versatile dough. In the cookie form it can be dipped in chocolate, or filled with a jam or cream and made into a sandwich cookie.  Raspberry and white chocolate filling makes a great filling for shortbreads if you are making sandwich cookies.  They are really easy cookies to make and are not just for Christmas but every day you feel like having a shortbread cookie.  Great to have with coffee or tea. 

I love shortbread cookies, you can dress them up or leave them as they are and they are delicious.  I am trying several recipes for Shortbread Cookies to see which one I like the best.  I am starting with this one. We will see.

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened

¾ Cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Flour

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

½ teaspoon Table Salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Beat the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light, smooth and creamy. Add Vanilla Extract and mix well.

2. Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir until completely combined. 

3. Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least one hour or more.

   1. Once cookie dough is chilled, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 to 1/2- inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place the shapes 2 inches apart on parchment covered baking sheets. Combine any scrap dough and re-roll and cut more cookies until the dough is all gone. 

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown.

5. If desired, melt 1 Cup chocolate and dip completely cooled cookies into chocolate. Place cookies on a wire rach and allow chocolate to set before serving.