There are so many things I loved about this recipe when it was submitted to the 2009 Holiday Cookie Contest. First off, I tend to be a shortbread fan. With just a few ingredients (mostly butter), they’re simple and old fashioned and unfussy. But these had a few twists: The rice flour adds a sweetness you don’t usually find, along with a whopping pound of butter (for richness) and the superfine sugar that make these really delicate. If you haven’t worked with shortbread before, these can be a little tricky to handle, but once you get the gist, they’re a snap.
Best Ever Shortbread Cookies
Submitted by Stephanie Wrightson who says, “This is the best shortbread recipe ever! The rice flour and super fine sugar make these melt in your mouth. If you can’t find super fine (“castor”) sugar, use your blender or food processor but let the dust settle before you take off the lid. I use a cookie cutter that is a small circle with ridges. The ridges give the cookie a nice crispness around the edge. This is a “passed down” recipe and I couldn’t tell you from whom it originated.”
3 cups sifted white flour
1 cup rice flour (look on the Asian food aisle if it’s not in the baking section)
1 lb butter, softened (not margarine)
1-1/3 cups “fine” sugar (usually comes in a 1 lb box in the baking section of the store)
Cream butter and sugar well. Sifted flours together and add to the sugar/butter mixture. Knead dough gently but very well. (Editor’s Note: This is a tricky process if you haven’t worked with shortbread. I turned it onto a lightly floured surface and pushed together the slightly dry, crumbly pieces until they held together. Don’t overwork the dough, however.)
Divide into several sections and roll out one at a time on a floured board to about 1/8 inch thickness. Prick dough all over with fork tines, then cut with a small cookie cutter and place on ungreased cookie sheet. If you have leftover pieces, you can re-roll once, but more than that and the dough gets tough.
Bake at 300-325 degree oven for 30 minutes hour or until lightly browned. Don’t overcook.
