I love a recipe that comes together easily, requires few ingredients and does not skimp on flavor.
Shortbread cookies are an all time favorite in our house. They never ever make it beyond two hours unless I immediately hide some away for later. These crumbly, crunchy, melt in your mouth buttery cookies are my go-to for a quick, easy and absolutely delicious treat.
PC: Rachel Matembe
You can make your shortbread cookies in two ways, one by rolling them out and using a cookie cutter or glass to make individual cookies. Or by forming the dough into a sausage-shaped roll, which is then chilled before using a sharp knife to cut rounds or squares. The second method is my preferred go to because it is a really quick and simple way, and it gives a rustic look to the cookies.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter (room temperature)
- ¾ cup icing sugar
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, vigorously cream the sugar and butter together with a wooden mixing spoon until they create a smooth paste.
2. Next, add the flour and gently mix until well combined.
3. Form into a ball, cover with cling wrap and let the dough rest. Whole wheat flour will need to rest for at least 10minutes to absorb liquid. Note: Shortbread dough should be smooth and not sticky. Add a teaspoon of water and mix if you d\find the dough to be dry.
4. Roll out and shape your dough into a long sausage shape, wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for 30minutes.
5. Preheat t oven to 370 F / 190C.
6. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into ¼ inch rounds or squares depending on the shape you prefer.
7. With plenty of space between the cookies, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
8. If the dough becomes soft during this stage, place it back into the refrigerator for a second chill time before baking.
9. Bake the cookies until the edges turn golden brown. This will take about 10-12 minutes.
10. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
11. Enjoy your buttery whole wheat shortbread cookies!
Variations:
- To add a slight twist to the classic buttery shortbread flavor, I added ½ teaspoon of tea masala spice mix (ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg).
- Other options are ¼ teaspoon rosemary or lemon zest from a whole lemon.
- If you are feeling extra fancy, you can also dip them in melted chocolate. It helps to chill the cookies first in the freezer for 20 minutes before dipping them into melted chocolate.
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Read more of Rachel’s contributions to AllMomDoes here.
