Shortbread is one of the Hubby’s favourite Christmas cookies. (Along with my rumballs, of course.) You may be surprised by the amount of corn starch in the recipe. It’s not a mistake; it really uses a cup. What it does is make the cookie silky, just dissolving on your tongue, without giving any odd flavour. Note that this shortbread is not like a traditional Walker’s Scottish tablet shortbread; it’s a soft, delicate cookie.
I was gifted an embossed rolling pin and have designated it as my shortbread roller, along with imprinting gingerbread.
RECIPE NOTE I – COLD BUTTER STAMP COOKIES!
I have recently discovered that using cold butter for stamped cookies is a huge game-changer. I was able to make a batch of 45 shortbread cookies in 1.5 hours. No refrigeration is needed! Using cold butter allows for immediate use of the dough and helps keep the shape of the cookie while they bake.
RECIPE NOTE II – AIR FRYER
So I have tried making cookies in my air fryer and it’s amazing! If using a smaller air fryer, lower the temperature to 325°F and bake for 5 minutes, turn the tray around, and bake for another 5 minutes. For the larger style (ex. rotisserie air fryers), keep the temperature at 350°F. The cookies came out perfectly!
RECIPE NOTE III – SPRITZ COOKIES!
If you want to make spritz cookies, use this recipe. You basically skip the refrigeration and go straight into making cookies. Form portions of dough into logs that fit inside the cookie press. This recipe makes approximately 160 small spritz cookies! It’s so easy (as long as you can get the cookie press working smoothly) that I may make most of my shortbread this way next year.
For flat-topped shortbread cookies, I usually dip half a cookie in chocolate or cover it with a white and/or dark chocolate ganache and some sprinkles, but if you have time and inclination to do beautifully iced cookies, check out Sweet Sugarbelle’s designs, tips, and recipes.
A lovely version of shortbread is chocolate chip shortbread and double chocolate-chip macadamia shortbread. For the chocolate chip version, add a cup of chips to the recipe below.
For the double chocolate-chip cookies, remove 1/2 cup of flour and add 1/2 cup of dark cocoa, then add about a cup each of chopped macadamias and chocolate chips.
I have also incorporated lavender into the cookies. I have made lemon lavender shortbread, and it got the thumbs up from my guinea pigs. I added the zest of the 3 lemons and 3 teaspoons of culinary lavender to about one cup of the sifted flour and gave it a brief whiz in a small food processor, then added the flour back to the rest of the dry ingredients. The lavender does not taste like potpourri; it tastes quite citrusy with a hint of floral. It paired well with the lemon zest.
I have plans to make Earl Grey Raspberry, Chai, and more tasty varieties!
Shortbread
Ingredients
The Cookies
- 1 lb / 2 cups butter cold and cubed
- 1 cup corn starch
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 3 cup flour
- small bowl of granulated sugar for rolling in
The Chocolate Bottoms
- chocolate melting wafers*
Instructions
- Line a cooking sheet with a perforated mat.
- Take cold butter and cut it into small cubes and set aside while you're getting the other ingredients ready.
- Sift the dry ingredients together and whisk until combined.
- Beat the butter in a mixer, using the paddle attachment, just until it starts getting creamy. You may need to clean out the paddle a couple of times.
- Add the dry in portion to the butter in batches, mixing well.
- Let the mixer run until the dough comes together and starts forming a ball, coming away from teh sides of the bowl. Don't overwork it!
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Using a small cookie scoop, take a scoop and quickly form a ball. Roll in the granulated sugar.
- If using a metal stamp, dip it in the sugar as well (about every 3 cookies).
- Place the dough ball on a small piece of parchment paper and press down firmly with the stamp. If it doesn't peel off right away, tap the edge of the stamp on the counter and it should pop right off.
- Set the cookie on the prepared cooking sheet. You can place the cookies close together as they won't spread too much.
- Place cookie sheet into oven for 11-15 minutes (depending on your oven). You do NOT want to brown the edges!! (I put the tray in for 11 minutes, then go minute by minute with a close eye on the cookies.)
- Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, melt a small portion of the melting wafers and slowly melt it in the microwave, once it's smooth and melty, take around half a teaspoon and put it on the bottom of the cookie. Take a sheet of parchment paper on a small cooking sheet, then put the chocolate side down on the parchment paper, and swirl it in a small circle to spread out the chocolate.