Easy Butter Shortbread

The Christmas baking has begun. Bethany needed several large cookies for gifts for the second year radiography class. They've been very helpful to the first years. These are really easy...and so good! I've had this recipe for years. Can't even remember where we got it.

Easy Butter Shortbread

1 cup butter

2/3 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2-2 1/4 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium mixing bowl CREAM butter, sugar and vanilla.  ADD two cups flour and salt and MIX until dough is smooth.  If dough feels sticky ADD additional 1/4 cup flour as needed.  Dough should be soft but not sticky.  ROLL into 1" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  BRUSH cookie press lightly with vegetable oil.  PRESS dough with desired cookie presses.  BAKE 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.  COOL 5 minutes on sheet, COOL completely on rack.

Makes 2-3 dozen…and I ALWAYS make a double batch!

After you oil the press, be sure and dip it in sugar to keep it from sticking to the cookie dough. You can use plain white sugar or colored crystals.

When we double the recipe, we use 1 Tbl Vanilla and 1 tsp Almond flavoring

When we made them today, I rolled short logs that were about 1.5 inches thick by about 8 inches long in wax paper. Then Bethany and I rolled the logs in multi-colored sprinkles. We then sliced them into 1/2 inch discs. THEN we squished them with an assortment of cookie presses. They were quite colorful! You can see the sliced discs, along with the presses, here: