Eat Together, Make Life Delicious...

This recipe is a combo of my favorite two cookies: shortbread and sugar cookies. I prefer to prepare this without a mixer, even though it takes a bit more time, it does in my opinion make the cookie taste more flaky. The reason (I think) is because you have to mash the butter into the flour which forces it to incorporate a differnt way than a mixer would do it. To see this technique in action, because you really should to get it, watch the video below.

And, if you want to use a mixer, which I certain do when I am in a rush, I have included those instructions below! The ingredients are the same for both techniques.

The second most important thing to remember (whether using a mixer or not) when preparing these cookies is to "cook them just enough".

Shortbread is supposed to be dense, lightly done, and flaky. So keep that in mind when it is time to pull them out of the oven. They may look slightly undone. I remember my first batch, I kept them in the oven a little too long and they became too brown and brittle.

Shortbread Sugar Cookies (with a mixer)

2 sticks of unsalted butter
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1¾ all purpose flour, plus more flour for dusting
1/8 teaspoon salt
olive oil
sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt and mix until thoroughly blended. Once the dough starts to form, turn it out on to a well floured surface and roll out the cookie dough with a well floured rolling pin until it’s a little less than a ½-inch thick. Cut out cookie shapes with cookie cutters and transfer each cookie to a silpat-lined cookie sheet no closer than 1 inch apart. Continue working through the dough until all of it is used. This recipe should make about 16 cookies, but this number will vary based on the thickness of the dough and of course the size of the cookie cutters.

Pour the olive oil on a plate and pour the sugar in a shallow bowl. Take a cup (that has a base which is about the same size of the cookie) and place the base into the olive oil and then into the sugar. The sugar should stick to the bottom of the cup. Carefully and gently press the sugar on the bottom of the cup onto the top of the cookie to give it a sugar coating. Repeat this until all the cookies are done. If more olive oil and sugar is needed, simple put out more.

Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the cookies start to take on a very light golden hue. Since every oven has hot spots, it is a good idea to rotate the cookie sheet during the cooking process. When the cookies are at your desired doneness, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a cookie rack to cool. Serve immediately.


Note: A fun twist to to these cookies is to include little bits of chocolate or dried fruit.

Labels: Cookies, no mixer, shortbread sugar cookies