Shortbread

Shortbread

1 pound unsalted butter, softened

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

4 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and mix again. Add two cups of flour and the pinch of salt and mix on low speed until a dough forms. Add the last two cups of flour and mix again on low until a very stiff dough forms.

Gather dough together with your hands and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide into two pieces. Using a floured rolling pin, roll each piece of dough until flattened to about 1” thickness. Wrap in plastic film and place pieces on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. This dough will firm up in quickly because of the high butter content. If your dough is difficult to roll, let it stand at room temperature for a few minutes until it is pliable.

While still cold, roll out dough to ¼” thickness. For perfectly even shortbread, use two ¼” flat dowels on either side of the dough as a guide. Rolling pin guide bands are also available in varying sizes at kitchen specialty stores.

Cut dough into desired shapes. Bake on parchment lined cookie sheets until lightly golden around the edges:

7-10 minutes for small cookies

12-15 minutes for medium cookies

17-20 minutes for large cookies