Nirvana's Shortbread Cookies

Nothing is easier to make than shortbread cookies. I was craving something sweet this afternoon and this recipe came to mind straight away.

The recipe is very straightforward and you can try many different versions of it... I added jam to half of the batch after they were cooked (apricot jam or orange marmalade work best because they aren't too sweet).

This recipe is so simple, it should definitely be a kitchen staple! Happy cooking :)


Ingredients:

4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 lb unsalted butter
1 cup powdered sugar


Before you start with the batter, preheat your oven to 350F degrees and butter 2 large cookie trays.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, vanilla, salt, sugar and baking powder and mix. Next add the butter -- if the butter is too hard, blast it in the microwave for a few seconds. Mix all the ingredients together until the dough is thick (if it ends up being a bit soft just add a tablespoon or two of flour and keep mixing).

Sprinkle some flour on your counter and roll the dough flat until it is a little bit thinner than half and inch. Start cutting them with cookie cutters (hint: this will be easier if you refrigerate the dough beforehand, but I was in a rush -- hence the messy cookies)... Place the unbaked cookies on the trays and bake for approximately 10 minutes or until the bottom of the shortbread cookies turn a golden brown.

Since I wanted to add jam to some cookies, i made a small, deep impression in the unbaked cookies with my thumb and added a small spoonful of jam once the cookies cooled.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies (more or less depending on the shape of your cookie cutters)