Recipe Background
These shortbread cookies are perfect for bringing comfort to a new home office while embracing a cherished family tradition.
Years ago, on a cold winter afternoon, I found myself struggling with a bout of nostalgia while unpacking boxes in my new home office. The transition to working remotely had its perks, but it also came with a sense of isolation that I wasn't used to. Amidst empty walls and scattered furniture, I needed comfort, a familiar scent to fill my space. That's when I remembered my grandmother's traditional shortbread cookies—a recipe she’d taught me on another rainy afternoon when I was young and eager to learn.
I always keep unsalted butter out to soften, a trick I picked up from those baking sessions. With a beat of the mixer, the creamy texture blends perfectly with vanilla, offering a heady aroma. As confectioners' sugar seamlessly melted into the mix, I thought back to how she’d emphasize never to rush it. Patience was key to achieving that signature melt-in-the-mouth feel. After gently incorporating the flour, I wrapped the dough lovingly, much like she’d wrap her arms around me during storytelling sessions.
A quick chill allowed me to rearrange a few more boxes before cutting the dough into neat rectangles. I sliced with precision—using a sharp knife, as she’d insist—before arranging them on my trusty silicone mat. As they baked, the scent of cookies wafting through my bare office felt like a warm hug. Those cookies not only filled my new workspace with homely comfort but also marked the beginning of a familiar kitchen ritual that would keep that nostalgia at bay.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt optional
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and vanilla extract together until it is creamed.
- Add the confectioners' sugar and salt, mixing it all together until it is fully combined.
- Scrape down the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Add in the flour while beating the mixture on low.
- Scrape the bowl down again, mixing until fully combined but careful not to overmix.
- Shape the dough mixture into a rectangle and wrap it in plastic.
- Chill the dough until it is firm, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper or silicone mat
- Using a sharp knife, cut around 1/2 inch slices from the dough rectangle. If you want, you can shape the cookies into any design that you want, or keep them as a rectangle.
- Put the slices, spaced around an inch apart, onto the prepared baking tray.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes. Rotate the baking tray in the oven in the middle of the baking.
- Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool off and firm up.
- Serve!
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