Mama's Easy Shortbread
Melt in your mouth, simple and easy shortbread cookies are one of those Christmas staples that everyone must try. This recipe gets its perfect texture from just four ingredients: butter, icing sugar, flour and cornstarch. And, because they are rolled and cut with a cookie shape of your choice, you can make them plain, topped with candied cherries, drizzled with chocolate or mix the dough with chopped dried fruit or nuts before rolling. Enjoy the versatility of this basic shortbread dough and keep it in mind for all your special occasions.
Equipment
- baking sheets
- hand-held or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter at room temperature and softened
- ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- optional: 4 ounces of chopped semi-sweet chocolate
- or optional: quartered red and green candied cherries
- or optional: chopped candied ginger, dried cranberries or cherries
- or optional: 4 ounces of chopped nuts
- or for drizzling: 2 ounces melted white chocolate, 2 ounces of melted bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Beat the butter with the sugar for 1 minute until blended.
- Gradually add in the flour and cornstarch.
- If using, add in chopped fruit, candied ginger, chopped nuts or chopped semi-sweet chocolate.
- If really soft, refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Roll to ¼" thickness. Using your favourite cookie cutter, cut into shapes. I like to use a 2" round scalloped cookie cutter.
- Put the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and if using, top each centre with a quarter of a candied cherry.
- Bake in a 300°F oven for 18-20 minutes. You can bake two sheets at a time but rotate the sheets halfway through the baking time.
- Cool on the pan 5 minutes and then transfer to a metal cooling rack until completely cool.
- If you are going to drizzle with melted chocolate do this now. Cool at room temperature or in the fridge until the chocolate hardens.
- Store in containers at room temperature for a week or store in the fridge or freezer for longer storage.
Notes
M
Nutrition
Serving: 1-2" round cookieCalories: 43kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 25mgPotassium: 4mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 87IUCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
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The best melt in your mouth shortbread