Mom’s Shortbread

This is the shortbread that I grew up eating. My family only made them at Christmas-time, and generally as part of a massive cookie baking weekend. Very small cookie cutters (1/2″ across) in shapes like stars, diamonds and the like made the cookies especially attractive and tasty. There is something about a  one-bite cookie that I love.

Mom's Shortbread

A classic shortbread cookie
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 10 tbsp sugar
  • 2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. In large bowl, with portable mixer at medium, or wooden spoon, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. With wooden spoon, stir in flour until smooth and well combined. Dough will be stiff.

  2. Refrigerate dough several hours. Then divide into two parts; refrigerate until ready to roll out.

  3. Preheat the oven to 300 F.

  4. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough, one part at a time, l/3" thick. Cut out, using l-l/2" or 2" cookie cutters. 

  5. Alternatively, use small 1/2" cutters and decrease the baking time slightly.

  6. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets 25 minutes 300 F until light golden.

  7. Cool on wire rack.

2 comments

  1. Hey Marc,

    Ever tried Brown Sugar Shortbread??? If you like shortbread, you’ll love it! I’ve won several baking contests with that one. Enjoy!

  2. No, I haven’t tried using other types of sugar in shortbread. Brown sugar sounds like a good idea. I can also imagine that Southeast Asian palm sugar or Mexican piloncillo could be tasty.

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