Slice-And-Bake Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Wax paper
- Beat 1 cup softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 3/4 cup powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and almond extract until blended.
- Stir together 2 cups flour, 1/4 tsp. baking powder, and 1/8 tsp. salt.
- Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
- Shape shortbread dough into 2 (7-inch) logs. Wrap each log in wax paper, and chill 4 hours, or freeze logs in zip-top plastic freezer bags up to 1 month.
- Preheat oven to 350u0b0.
- If frozen, let logs stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Cut each log into 24 slices. Place shortbread slices 1 inch apart on lightly greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
- Bake shortbread slices at 350u0b0 for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges of slices are golden.
- Remove shortbread from baking sheets, and place on wire racks; let cool completely (about 20 minutes). Store in airtight containers.
- Easy Variations:
- Cranberry-Orange Shortbread Cookies: Stir in 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries and 1 Tbsp. orange zest with extracts in Step
- Pecan Shortbread Cookies: Omit almond extract. Stir in 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans with vanilla in Step
- Toffee-Espresso Shortbread Cookies: Omit almond extract. Stir in 1/2 cup almond toffee bits and 1 Tbsp. espresso powder with vanilla in Step
- Coconut-Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies: Omit almond extract. Stir in 1 cup toasted coconut, 1/2 cup finely chopped macadamia nuts, and 1/4 tsp. coconut extract with vanilla in Step
butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, almond, flour, baking powder, salt, wax paper
Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/slice-and-bake-shortbread-cookies (may not work)