Does anyone have a really good shortbread cookie recipe?!
Answers: Please dont paste something from a cooking website unless you have used it!
Shortbread cookies with dried cherries:
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dried cherries
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Whip butter with an electric mixer until fluffy. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, cornstarch, and flour. Beat on low for one minute, then on high for 3 to 4 minutes. Drop cookies by spoonfuls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Watch that the edges don't brown too much. Cool on wire racks
Here is the Shortbread cookie recipe that I use but Shortbread dough is usually too stiff and too thick to use in a cookie press so I am also including my Spritz Cookie recipes - Spritz are meant to be made using a cookie press and are made with a much softer dough than Shortbread.
Almond Shortbread Cookies
Prep: 20 minutes
Bake: 20 minutes
Start to Finish: 40 min
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup ground toasted almonds
1 cup butter (no substitute)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1-1/2 teaspoons shortening
About 40 blanched whole almonds
Directions
1. In a bowl combine flour, sugar, and ground almonds. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Shape into a ball and knead until smooth. Divide the dough in half.
2. On an ungreased cookie sheet pat or roll half of the dough into a 9x5-inch rectangle. Repeat with other half of dough.
3. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until bottom of the dough just starts to turn brown. Cool about 5 minutes. While the shortbread is still warm, cut each rectangle into 3x1 inch sticks; cool on a wire rack.
4. In a small heavy saucepan melt chocolate and shortening together over low heat, stirring occasionally. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate mixture. Place an almond on the center of each glazed half. Place cookies on waxed paper and let stand until chocolate is set. (Or, refrigerate cookies about 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.) Makes about 40 cookies.
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Spritz
Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 8 minutes per batch
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Colored sugar (optional)
1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, vanilla, and, if desired, almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour.
2. Force unchilled dough through a cookie press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle cookies with colored sugar. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. If desired, drizzle cookies with Powdered Sugar Icing.
3. Makes about 84 cookies
4. Chocolate Spritz: Prepare as above, except reduce flour to 3-1/4 cups and add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder with the sugar.
5. Nutty Spritz: Prepare as above, except reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and flour to 3-1/4 cups. After adding flour, stir in 1 cup finely ground toasted almonds or hazelnuts (filberts) .
6. Peppermint Spritz: Prepare as above, except substitute with 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract or 14 drops of peppermint oil for the vanilla and almond extracts. If desired, drizzle cookies with Powdered Sugar Icing and immediately sprinkle with finely crushed striped round peppermint candies.
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Spritz
about 84 cookies
Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: 8 minutes
Ingredients
1-1/2 cups butter
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in egg, vanilla, and, if desired, almond extract until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can. Stir in remaining flour.
2. Force unchilled dough through a cookie press onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm but not brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes about 84 cookies.
Make-Ahead Tip: Bake and cool cookies completely. In an airtight or freezer container, arrange cookies in a single layer; cover with a sheet of waxed paper. Repeat layers, leaving enough air space to close container easily. Seal, label, and freeze for up to 1 month.
Chocolate Spritz: Prepare as above, except reduce all-purpose flour to 3-1/4 cups and add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder with the sugar.
Nutty Spritz: Prepare as above, except reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and flour to 3-1/4 cups. After adding flour, stir in 1 cup finely ground toasted almonds or hazelnuts (filberts).
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Brown Sugar Spritz
Prep: 20 min.
Bake: 45 min.
Ingredients
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and baking powder and beat well. Add egg, lemon peel, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Do not chill dough.
Pack dough into a cookie press. Force dough through press onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 9 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are firm but not brown. Remove cookies and cool on wire racks. Makes 70 to 80.
Make-ahead tip: Bake and cool cookies completely. In an airtight or freezer container arrange cookies in a single layer; cover with a sheet of waxed paper. Repeat layers, leaving enough air space to close container easily. Freeze up to 1 month.
Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
? 3/4 cup butter, softened
? 1/4 cup sugar
? 2 cups all purpose flour
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and sugar in large bowl. Stir in flour. If dough is crumbly, mix in an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of softened butter.
Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness and cut dough with cookie cutters into desired shapes. The dough can even be cut with a knife into wedges or strips for interesting designs. Bake about 20 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool.