Christmas Butter Shortbread Cookies

Butter Shortbread Cookies

These cookies are perfect for Christmas. I have to admit that one of the things that makes cookie Sunday possible is that I don't eat very many cookies. So these ones can't be made very many times. 

1 pound butter- chilled

I cut mine into pieces to mix more easily. I used 1/2 tilamook butter and 1/2 plugra butter. I think imported or farm made butter is the best. Never use salted butter! It keeps longer so it is usually older on the shelf. 

1 1/4 cup white sugar. Extra fine is the best option. 

Mix at medium speed until just creamed. Don't let the butter get warm! 

2 tsp almond extract (optional) if you like almond spread almond paste over the completed cookies while they are chilling. I love marzipan so this is great! 

Add 4 1/4 cups flour in 1 cup parts. 

Add it gradually or you will end up over mixing and have a floury taste. 

Press into greased cookie sheet with ridges. I used the Williams Sonoma gold collection cookie sheets. I also used my rolling pin from them with silicone. I want a marble one but that's a separate topic. I love them. I greased it with a cheesecloth and crisco. I would always use a cheesecloth or paper towel to grease a pan/ and cheesecloth is best. 

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes until edges start to turn gold. 

Cover with sanding sugar or powdered sugar to taste- I used about 1 cup and out it on while the cookies were still warm so it melted a bit.

Cut into squares with sharp knife while still cooling. 

Let cool 

My children got a plate and used them as Legos with a sort of rapt intensity. It was about an hour of using their cookies as a fun game and carefully taking bites out of each piece. 

These taste better after they are a few days old. 

Merry Christmas! Don't eat too much. 

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/m/products/usa-pan-goldtouch-nonstick-quarter-sheet-pan/?pkey=e%7Ccookie%2Bsheet%7C150%7Cbest%7C0%7C1%7C15%7C%7C6&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH

Adding a link with my phone blogger is difficult so I'm including links here with this tacky method. 

http://www.plugra.com/ butter of champions. 

http://www.tillamook.com/products/butter.html

Everyone loves tilamook. 

http://www.deandeluca.com/pantry/baking-ingredients/dean-and-deluca-rainbow-sanding-sugar.aspx

Guys. Brand matters. Especially when it comes to butter.