Classic Shortbread Cookies
A Rich and Buttery Cookie That Bakes Up Fast
Good shortbread is a delicacy, and it's really not a hard thing to bake. Don't settle for store-bought. The real thing is so much better.
They're just those kind of cookies that most people only make on special holidays, like Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas. And pretty much anyone can tell a store-bought shortbread from one that was home-made. Everyone always raves about the rich, buttery taste of a good shortbread cookie. It just goes to show that you don't need a fancy recipe to impress people.
Surprisingly, they are very easy to make and only require a handful of ingredients. Why save these little gems for the holidays? Pick your favorite recipe and make them all the time. Top each cookie with a piece of maraschino cherry for that English look.
Simple Shortbread Cookies
Here is the place to start with a simple and almost fool-proof recipe. You might not expect to see cornstarch, but it makes the recipe work. Makes about a dozen cookies.
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 tbs cornstarch
- ¾ cup flour
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
- With an electric beater, whip butter until pale and fluffy. Mix in sugar, cornstarch and flour.
- Continue to beat on a low setting for another minute. Then turn up the mixer to high for 3 more minutes.
- Use a spoonful of dough per cookie, leaving 2 to 3 inches of space between them. Give each one a little push with a fork, for that traditional indent on top.
- Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. Take them out and let them cool completely. You might need to let them cool on the pan before taking them off, to prevent crumbling.
Classic Shortbread Cookies
This recipe has fewer ingredients, but there is a bit more work to roll out the dough. Also makes about a dozen cookies.
- 1 cup butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- Preheat your oven to 350F.
- Cream together butter and sugar, either by hand or with a mixer until fluffy.
- Stir in flour gently, and roll out onto a floured surface. Roll to about a quarter inch thickness. You may need more flour to make it stiff enough to roll.
- Cut out your cookies (either shapes, or simple circles will do).
- Place your cookie shapes about an inch apart on a cookie sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
- And like with the last recipe, leave them on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes after they are done before moving them.
One tip. These recipes call for butter, and its highly recommended that you use real butter when making shortbread cookies. With so few ingredients, the taste of the butter really comes through and margarine just doesn't cut it.
