Truly, Scotch Shortbread gives absolutely nothing in looks or design. But the aroma: heavenly. The taste: Unbelievable. The satisfaction: Another euphoric level. So, they must – THEY MUST – be a part of your Christmas cookie platter. Plus you can make them waaaaay ahead and they will still taste divine.
Pro tip – Cut them as soon as you pop them out of the oven.
This recipe comes from the Williams-Sonoma “Cookies” cookbook. It’s small but every recipe is legit.
Scotch Shortbread
Course: DessertCuisine: ScottishDifficulty: MediumServings
27
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking time
1
hourIngredients
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup confectioners’ (icing) sugar aka powdered sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar, plus 1 Tbsp. for sprinkling the top
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 ½ cup all-purpose plain flour
¼ tsp. salt
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Farenheit. Have ready an ungreased 9-inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter until fluffy and pale yellow. Add the confectioners’ sugar and the ¼ cup granulated sugar and continue beating until the mixture is no longer gritty when rubbed between your finger and thumb. Beat in the vanilla.
- Sift the flour and salt together onto a sheet of waxed paper. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon just until blended.
- Using floured fingertips, press the dough evenly into the pan. Sprinkle evenly with the 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar.
- Bake the shortbread until the edges are golden, about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately use a thin sharp knife to cut the shortbread into strips 3 inches by 1 inch. Use a toothpick or the tines of a fork to decorate the shortbread with a pattern of dots. Let the strips cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes before transferring them to the rack to cool completely.
