Debbi's Shortbread

Ingredients

• 2 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• pinch of salt
• 16 tbsp 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1 tsp pure almond extract

Method

1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. With a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it's evenly distributed and the size of small crumbs. Stir in the almond extract. Mix the dough, shaping it with your hands, until it comes together to form a ball that's still slightly moist.
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll it out until it's 3/8-inch thick. Dip a cookie cutter into flour and cut out shapes, transferring the cookies to a cookie sheet and reflouring the cutter as needed. Cover the cookies with plastic wrap. Chill on the cookie sheet for 30 to 45 minutes.
3. While the cookies chill, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line another cookie sheet with baking parchment. Arrange the chilled cookies on it, leaving about one inch between.
4. Bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes, or until they're golden around the edges. Remove the cookies with a spatula to wire racks to cool. Decorate as desired. Store in airtight tins in layers separated by baking parchment or wax paper, or stack in reclosable plastic bags.

Notes

The whole family can join in the fun of baking these sweet cookies. Use candy cane- and Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutters, then decorate with your choice of red and green piping gel, colored sugar crystals, silver dragees and cinnamon nonpareils. Preparation time: 15 minutes. Chilling time: 30 to 45 minutes. Baking time: 18 to 20 minutes. Makes 12 to 18 (2-inch) cookies.

Original card

The recipe above was transcribed from this scan of Vera’s original card.

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