Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Although shortbread cookies are often associated with English cuisine, they actually originate from Scotland. They are well known and enjoyed throughout the United Kingdom. What makes them special is their simplicity: they are made with only butter, sugar, and flour, without ingredients such as eggs or baking powder, which are commonly found in most other cookies.
In terms of both texture and flavor, they are very similar to our Turkish un kurabiyesi (Turkish flour cookies). Although traditionally made plain, just like un kurabiyesi, shortbread can also be prepared with different ingredients to create a variety of flavors.
Shortbread is a cookie made with very few ingredients. This means there are only a handful of things that can influence its flavor. Unless something goes significantly wrong, sugar and flour don't contribute much to the overall flavor. This leaves us with just one key ingredient: butter. In other words, the flavor and aroma of your cookies depend almost entirely on the butter you use. If you use butter with a strong smell and an overpowering taste, your cookies will have the same characteristics. The same applies if you use margarine instead of butter. In short, this is a recipe where you truly get what you put in.
This brings us to another common question: "Can I use margarine instead of butter?" The answer is yes, but keep in mind that you will taste the margarine just as distinctly as you would taste butter. If the margarine you use has a strong smell, your cookies will have that same aroma. If its smell is mild enough to be masked by vanilla, you'll end up with vanilla-scented cookies instead.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 200 g butter, at room temperature,
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar,
- 2.5-3 cups all-purpose flour,
- A tiny pinch of ground vanilla.
Preparation
- Place the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and combine,
- Gradually add the flour and knead until you have a soft dough that doesn't stick to your hands,
- Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to approximately 1/2 cm (1/5 inch) thickness,
- Cut the dough into rectangles using a rectangular cookie cutter, or simply cut it into rectangular pieces with a knife. Arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper,
- Prick the tops with a fork,
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) until the edges turn slightly golden.
Enjoy!