A Shortbread Cookie for Everyone!

 

A Shortbread Cookie for Everyone!

By Rebecca Medalle, Application Support Analyst II

 

Who doesn’t love a good shortbread cookie? They are certainly a versatile and tasty treat. I make shortbread cookies every year and my family screams for more. The holidays are fast approaching and you might want to try something fun, festive and full of flavor. By versatile I’m talking about flavor combinations. Most people have recipes for an ordinary shortbread cookie but this is a recipe with options. The flavors can be changed with just a few simple ingredients.

Basic Shortbread Cookie Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1 cup butter (cold and cubed)
• 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract (this is up to you!)
• 3/4 cup sugar (divided into 1/4 and 1/2 cup)
• 1 tbsp juice of citrus fruit juice or other liquid

All shortbread cookies need these ingredients listed above. Then simply select your flavor from the profiles below and then add the ingredients listed for that choice.

 

Optional Glaze:

• 3/4 cup of powdered sugar
• Fine zest of 1 citrus fruit
• 1/2 tsp milk
• 2 drops food coloring, if desired
• 1 tbsp strained citrus fruit juice

If you decide to glaze your cookie, it can be prepared before you make the cookies. Simply mix these ingredients together and set aside. Add small amounts of powdered sugar if the glaze is too runny. Drizzle the glaze across the baked and cooled cookie and let dry for several hours.

Other Items Needed:

• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper
• Pastry cutter or large fork
• Plastic wrap
• Food chopper/processor

Now, here is where the fun begins. Beginning with the “base” ingredients above, select a flavor profile below and have some fun. Here are some of the flavor combinations in my rotation:

 

Cranberry Tangerine 1/2 cup dried cranberries Fine zest of 1 tangerine 1 tbsp tangerine juice	Lavender Lime w/ Glaze 3 tbsp dried food grade lavender Fine zest of 1 lime 1 tbsp lime juice For this cookie, follow the instructions for the optional glaze.	Blueberry Lemon 1/2 cup dried blueberries Fine zest of 1 lemon 1 tbsp lemon juice
Espresso with Chocolate Drizzle 2 tbsp instant espresso powder 1 tbsp tangerine juice or coffee Make the chocolate drizzle using dark & milk chocolate melting wafers, ¼ tsp cooking oil and chili powder to taste. Microwave 30 seconds, stir and repeat if necessary. Be careful not to overheat.	Citrus Sage 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage Fine zest of 1 lemon, 1 lime, 1 tangerine 1 tbsp citrus juice	Spicy Apricot Rosemary 1/2 cup dried apricots Cayenne pepper to taste (or get crazy like me and opt for a ghost pepper) 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary Fine zest of 1 small tangerine 1 tbsp tangerine juice

 

If you selected a cookie with dried fruit, start by combining dried fruit and 1/4 cup sugar in a food chopper/processor and chop until fine. Set aside. Combine flour and sugar in a bowl and work in cubed butter with a pastry cutter or fork until crumbly. Add in other cookie ingredients: zest, juice, extract, dried chopped fruit (or espresso or lavender). Knead the dough by hand, shape into a ball and divide into two equal parts. Roll each half into a log, cover in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 3 hours. Slice each log into 12 to 18 cookies, depending on desired thickness. If you are not using the optional glaze then you can dip each cookie into sugar before placing on cookie sheet if desired. Prepare the cookie sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Check at 12 minutes (cookies should not be brown). Each batch yields 24 to 36 cookies.

Cookie Troubleshooting

How fine do I chop dried fruit or herbs? Shortbread cookie dough is relatively dry because there is no egg to hold it together. Both fruit and herbs should be chopped until very small so that you are able to slice the dough into cookies without causing the cookie to crumble.

My dough is too dry: If dough won’t hold together because it is too crumbly, then add very small amounts of citrus juice and knead until it just sticks together.

My dough is too moist: If dough is too moist then sprinkle with a little flour and mix until it’s crumbly but holds together.

I’m making more than one flavor and they all look the same: Easy fix! Roll one flavor into a round log while making the other flavor square, triangle or oval. Once the dough is chilled you can slice with a sharp heavy knife and it should retain the shape.

Do I glaze or sugarcoat? This is up to you. Glazing gives you the opportunity to add more of the citrus flavor or a spark of contrasting color and is done after the cookie cools from baking. Sugar coating simply adds a bit more sweetness and is applied before baking. Some people do neither – opting for a shortbread cookie that is less sweet.

Get creative! It’s just a matter of balancing the ingredients. This year I’m working on two new flavors: Bananas Foster and Peach Cobbler. Give these a try for the holidays … you won’t be disappointed!