Grandma's Shortbread

Take a bite into these melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies! Grandma's Shortbread recipe has only four ingredients and no chilling required. An easy recipe for your holiday Christmas baking tray!

this recipe!

These tender shortbread cookies are well-loved in our household. Sprinkled with sanding sugar, they take on a festive appearance the minute they come out of the oven.

These are sturdy enough that you could package them up in a pretty holiday box for gift-giving.

ingredients

• butter - since butter is one of the main ingredients in this recipe, use the best quality that you can find for best results. Butter should be softened at room temperature.
• powdered sugar
• all-purpose flour
• cornstarch - be sure to check the best before date!
• Christmas coloured sanding sugar or sprinkles

step-by-step instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

The secret to the best texture in these shortbread cookies is to make sure that your hands are not too warm. The warmer they are and the more the you handle the dough, the softer the dough will be. This will change the texture and cause the cookies to spread.

Work quickly and with cool hands! This is such an easy recipe and you will love the simplicity and lovely texture of these cookies.

Start by sifting together all-purpose flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar. If you don't have a sifter, place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and give it a really good whisk or mix with wooden spoon.

Using a wooden spoon, or with clean hands, blend in the butter until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork the dough. As soon as the dough forms, shape it into a ball.

I like to divide the dough into four equal portions and know that I am getting six cookies out of each section for a total of 24 cookies.

Shape dough into one inch balls and place a few inches apart on baking sheet. They will spread a little as you flatten them with a fork.

Press down lightly on each cookie with a floured fork. Sprinkle with sanding sugar or sprinkles. I have really been enjoying Ann Clark's sanding sugar. It is very light and has a beautiful sparkle.

Bake in 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. I took my cookies out in 17 minutes and let them sit on the cookie sheet for two minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and that was perfect.

storage instructions

Store shortbread in airtight container for up to four weeks.

Shortbread may be frozen between layers or parchment paper in a freezer safe container. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Don't forget to pin this recipe to your Christmas Baking board!

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