Lemony Snowflake Shortbread

These little snowflakes are light and buttery.  They do fall apart in your hands and melt in your mouth...just like a snowflake should!  You could also substitute the lemon extract for orange or take a more traditional route and use almond extract...oh, just had another thought...ANISE - after all 'tis the season and all!

Makes about 36 cookies

Ingredients

1 ½ cups butter - softened (3 sticks)

¾ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 teaspoons lemon extract

3 ¼ cups flour

¾ teaspoon salt

Shimmer sugar for decorating

Mix flour and salt together in a medium bowl, set aside.  Beat butter in another large bowl, using an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add sugar (carefully or else you will have a powdered sugar cloud in the kitchen...trust me!).  Beat in vanilla and lemon extracts.  Add flour and mix on low until combined.  Divide dough in half, form into a flat disk, cover with cling film, and refrigerate for 1 hour, until firm. 

Pre-heat oven to 325°F.  Line 3-4 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Remove cookie dough from fridge and let soften slightly.  Roll out 1 disk on lightly floured working surface to about 1/8” thick (no thinner or the cookies will burn).  Cut out dough using a snowflake cutter dipped in flour (or other Christmassy cut out).  Gather scraps and re-roll.  Repeat with second disk of dough.  Sprinkle with decorating sugar and bake for 20 minutes until cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges, do not over bake.

It’s All Delicious Notes:  cookies can be made a few days ahead and stored in an airtight container.  Dough can be made ahead and frozen for 2 weeks.

Shortbread with a hint of vanilla - how easy was that?

Very easy is the answer...once you use the correct flour.  “Brains” here (that would be moi!) ended up making two batches so it was just as well that this is the easiest cookie in the world to make.

I had a brilliant idea to use White Lilly flour – thinking...that would make them extra light. I made the first batch and thought... “Hmmm, these taste a little salty” There’s not speck of salt in this recipe.  I checked the butter - yup unsalted.  Then I checked the ingredients on the flour package...ahhh...salt.  What a fool I felt.

So, on to the next batch with an all-purpose flour (I usually use King Arthur) and they were wonderful.  Melted in your mouth without that lip smacking salt taste you don’t look for in a cookie...live, learn and bake!

Ingredients

1-cup butter (unsalted), room temperature

½ cup sugar

2-teaspoons vanilla extract

2 2/3 cups all purpose flour (not White Lilly)

4 tablespoons sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Beat butter in a large bowl until smooth using an electric mixer.  Beat in sugar and vanilla.  Add the flour and stir/combine with a fork until well blended (the dough will be course and barely hold together).  Turn dough into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Press into pan making sure the mixture is level.  Pierce the surface with a fork making even markings.   Chill for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the surface with additional sugar and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.  Cut into wedges while still hot.  Let cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.  Store in an airtight container and it will keep for a week.

It’s All Delicious notes:  You could also melt a little chocolate and drizzle over the top or dip one half in.  Just a thought.  Also...keep the White Lilly on the shelf for this one - biscuits only for me from here on in.