Shortbread Cookies
Simple, buttery vanilla cookies perfect for cut-out shapes
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb. butter unsalted, softened
- 1 c. confectioners' sugar
- 3 c. all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. vanilla extract
- 1/4 c. granulated sugar
Instructions
- Cream butter and confectioners' sugar together until light.
- Sift flour and salt together and add to creamed mixture.
- Add vanilla and blend thoroughly.
- Gather dough into ball, wrap in wax paper, and chill for 4-6 hours.
- Roll out chilled dough to 5/8" thickness.
- Using a 3" long heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies.
- Sprinkle cookie tops with granulated sugar.
- Place cut-out cookies on ungreased cookie sheets and refrigerate for 45 mins. before baking
- Preheat oven to 325° F.
- Bake for 20 mins. or until just starting to color lightly; cookies should not brown at all.
- Cool on a rack.
Notes
For a less hefty cookie, roll out the dough to only 3/8" thickness; refrigerate for 20 mins., then bake for about 12-14 mins. This results in about 36 cookies, depending on the size of the cookie cutter.
For easier prep, skip refrigerating the ball of dough and place it on an ungreased baking sheet (lining the sheet with parchment paper is optional but makes for easier cleanup0.
Cover the ball with a sheet of waxed paper and roll the dough out to desired thickness.
Then cut out the cookies, reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies.
Sprinkle with sugar, if using. Refrigerate the cut-out cookies for about 20 mins. and then bake.
For easier prep, skip refrigerating the ball of dough and place it on an ungreased baking sheet (lining the sheet with parchment paper is optional but makes for easier cleanup0.
Cover the ball with a sheet of waxed paper and roll the dough out to desired thickness.
Then cut out the cookies, reroll the scraps and cut out more cookies.
Sprinkle with sugar, if using. Refrigerate the cut-out cookies for about 20 mins. and then bake.