My grandma’s famous shortbread recipe

I have really been contemplating whether I should publish this recipe or not, but because I love to share the good, the bad and the ugly, why not?  I know you will love them so I just can’t keep the recipe a secret anymore.

These cookies are super simple to make, super fattening and super addicting, pretty much the perfect holiday cookie.  Every December I make shortbread, magic cookie bars and fudge in mass quantities.  Everyone has their favorites and many of my friends and family make requests.  One friend begs for extra fudge another loves the shortbread and the magic cookie bars are everyone’s favorite even though they have coconut and most people don’t love coconut.  So funny, every year people tell me they don’t eat coconut and yet they will eat a whole plate of my cookie bars.  As you can tell, I take pride in adding belly fat to my loved ones during December.  

Today I will give you the shortbread recipe and I promise to give you the other two in a few days.

 

Scotch Shortbread

1/2 pound Nucoa margarine (old school margarine company but you can substitute for another brand if you can’t find it.)

1/2 pound butter

3 cups sifted flour (yes. you have to sift it!)

1 cup packed powder sugar (weird, I know, but just try to pack it as much as possible)

1 cup white rice flour

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla (this wasn’t in my grandma’s recipe but I can’t bake a cookie without vanilla)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (started adding this last year and it makes them even better)

granulated sugar for sprinkling on top

Melt the butter and margarine in the microwave and put in the mixing bowl.  Add the flours, sugar, vanilla and salt and mix until all combined.  I have never mixed it by hand and suggest using a kitchen aide or mixer.  The dough will be thick.  Press it into a 13×9 baking dish or a cookie sheet.  I always double the recipe and use a full size cookie sheet because these cookies last for a long time without going stale.  I won’t eat homemade cookies that are more than 24 hours old except these ones.  Once the dough is even and pressed out, sprinkle with colored sugar and then poke with a fork all over.  I like to make my fork marks in rows but you can do it however you want. 

I like to match my sugar to my packaging and this year I am using clear plastic plates, blue cellophane and green polka dot ribbon, hence the blue sprinkles.  Notice the wrapping matches the house?  I know, I can’t help myself.

Bake at 275 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.  The original recipe indicates you should bake for 1 hour or until golden brown but I always under cook everything and find myself taking them out of the oven after 45 minutes.  It depends on your preference.  I like a doughy cookie as opposed to a crunchy cookie.

CUT THEM while they are hot.  I cut them into little 1 inch squares but you have to do it right after they come out of the oven otherwise they crumble and are super difficult to cut.

That’s it, enjoy them!

xoxo tiffani

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