We have been "testing" some cookie recipes for the holiday gifts coming soon. This of course is just an excuse to make cookies - the boys love to measure, pour and bake, and of course eat. Today we made our first batch of shortbread-it is delicious!
Spice Shortbread
1 c unsalted softened butter
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c light brown sugar
1 1/2 Tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 Tsp cinnamon
1/2 Tsp salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease cookie sheet.
In a large bowl cream the butter and sugars together until light. Mix in the vanilla. In a small bowl mix together the flour, spices, and salt. Slowly blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well mixed.
Flour your surface, and gently press or roll (flour that rolling pin!) into a sheet. Use buttered cookie cutters (or a scone cutter) to cut out shapes (this is a soft shortbread-so don't use too elaborate of a design) and place on the cookie sheet about 1" apart.
Bake for 17-22 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely.
Chocolate Edges
Melt 1/2 cup chocolate chips and dip the cooled shortbread into the chocolate to edge. Let dry.
Orange Glaze
Mix 3 Tbsp powdered sugar with OJ or squeeze a fresh orange into the bowl...stir and adjust sugar/juice mix until you get a nice glaze which is neither runny or gloopy. Drizzle over your cookies, or dip the shortbread into the glaze. Let dry.
Ingredients Tip:
Buy fair trade organic chocolate for your baking. It is better for both humans and the environment.
With Fair Trade certified chocolate:
• Forced and abusive child labor are prohibited
• Farming families earn a price that is adequate to meet their basic human needs
• Environmentally sustainable production methods are required
7 comments:
Thank you(!) for this recipe.
I recently failed terribly at making shortbread.
I dont know if it was my oven temp not being entirely up to temp, or using the wrong cookie sheet, but instead of baking up - my cookies just Spreaddddd.
And they turned into this yucky buttery spreaded mess.
I'll try this one out tomorrow, and let you know how I do.
I have made less than stellar shortbread too. I think since this doesn't have the corn starch it is a bit more cookie-like (although it has a great shortbread flavor). Some of our second batch of stars spread a little--but the boys wouldn't leave their hands off the dough, so it was a bit warmer than it should have been when we rolled and cut...Good luck! :)
EllaEnchanted (3) and I made a batch of these yummies tonight, and WHAT A TREAT! What she loved most was that she could eat the dough (and eat it, she did!)! (we aren't at the raw-egg eating place in Traditional Foods yet:)
I tried a small gingerbread man cutter and it worked fine, but I rolled them really thin. I also used a small cookie scoop for a few, and a fat (or is it, phat? LOL) heart cookie cutter.
We might try the "drizzle-rizzle" with the chocolate in the am -- if DH and I can keep our hands off them after the kids go to bed!
Thanks for the recipe!
oh, i was going to add that i used a smidgen of whole wheat flour and some ground flax in the mix. i think it tasted quite nice.
Sally--I'm a tweaker too. :) I always end up adding flax or fresh ground wheat or fresh ground groats or something. I haven't tried flax in shortbread yet-sounds interesting! :)
well, i didn't add much, I was scared to mess it up! I rolled it it fairly thin, maybe 1/8th of an inch? I've never made shortbread, so I didn't know the "rules" of it. but, it's good, to it passed my test!
I made these and they are divine! Great recipe.
Instead of rolling the dough out, however, I quickly formed the dough into a log shape, wrapped it in wax paper, and then chilled for a few hours in the 'fridge. Then I just sliced the cold dough into rounds. I made small batches, keeping the remaining dough chilled until needed. A bit thicker like traditional shortbread but not as pretty as your star shapes. Thanks!
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