I love shortbread. I love to smell the butter as it bakes in the oven. I love the way it melts in your mouth as you bite into it. I love the fact that I can bake it all in one pan. Now don’t think that I am the Scrooge of cookie baking, but I must admit cookies can be sooo time consuming. This is one of the many things that I miss about having Sous Chef at home. She loves to bake cookies. She will mix up a big batch of cookie dough and sit in the kitchen for hours monitoring cookies while reading a good book. OK, getting back to the subject at hand…
Good quality ingredients are critical to this cookie. With only four ingredients in the recipe, don’t skimp on quality here. I highly recommend using Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract. I wrote a product review of it several months ago. Click here if you want to know more about this incredible vanilla.
Ingredients:
¾ cup butter, room temperature
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 inch pan. I used my food processor to mix the ingredients for this recipe. Cream the butter until it’s light. Add the powdered sugar and the vanilla. Add the flour ½ cup at a time. Scrape out of your bowl and form into a ball. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Firmly press the dough into the pan. Prick with a fork and bake for 30- 35 minutes or until lightly brown. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a knife and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into small squares or long finger slices while still warm.
Enjoy!
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Those cookies look fantastic! And yes, you are right- I absolutely love baking cookies. I’m sure I’ll whip up many batches of cookies during this long Christmas break soon, book in hand as always 🙂
I bet those taste heavenly! Sometimes there is nothing better than a shortbread cookie.
I love shortbread and these look so good! Thanks for sharing 🙂
yummers! I picked up some local butter the other week and was looking for something to use it for… Thanks for the brain kick start!
They do look VERY good.
I love shortbread – you are right – they are just so classic and they need the best ingredients. Yours just beckon!
Shortbread is by far one of my favorite cookies.. so buttery and delicious. I am determined to make some for the holidays, thanks for sharing yours 🙂
Those look delightful and super easy. I love making cookies too, and am always looking for something new to make—I bake when I get bored! I might try these this weekend.
I love shortbread too. This post makes me think of a shortbread cookie my mom used to make that had a sticky glaze and toasted almonds on top – it was cut into diamond shapes. You are right about feeling like cookies are time consuming – I am bringing up my boys to make cookies and they’ll soon be old enough to turn over the kitchen to them. I hope. I think I’ll go make a cookie wish list.
I was just given shortbread recipes last week when I attended one of my monthly cooking class. They tasted so tasty, got me addicted. I would love to try your version too. Thanks for sharing.
I love shortbread and these look delightful 🙂
Shortbread is one of those items that I get such intense cravings for. I tried making it once with a maple coconut topping. The taste was outrageous, but they sure didn’t look as pretty as yours. Will have to try out your recipe!
Love the simplicity of this dish! Looks wonderful 🙂