Christmas Shortbread Cookies (Without cookie cutter) – Try it to believe it.

I love old fashioned cookies made with real butter,why go for substitutes …  Skip the sprinkles and icing too and go for the plain. I bet you will love the crispiness and the flavor. 

I mean in  today’s age of so much sophistication, working with simple everyday ingredients make life much easier, what do you think?

Ingredients – yields around 12-15 cookies

All purpose flour – 1 1/2 cup Butter – 1 stick( 1/2 cup) at room temperature
Sugar- 1/2 cup
Baking powder – 1/2 tsp
Egg – 1
Vanilla essence- 1/2 tsp

Method:
1.Mix sugar and butter beat well until creamy. (I use fork and beat for 3-4 minutes continuously. )
Mix egg and vanilla essence and whisk very lightly.
Sift all purpose flour and baking powder together.
2. Combine sugar mixture and egg mixture then add the flour mix until everything is well combined.Mix with hand and make the dough a round ball and wrap it in cling wrap and put it in a ziploc or container and put it in the fridge for 4 hrs- 8 hours minimum.

3.Roll the dough when the said time is over into 1/2 th inch thick rectangle in between two sheets of wax papers( the dough will stick badly once completely cool so *work fast ). Use a a sharp knife or pizza cutterto cut it into 3 parts then make equal triangle shape. Make few holes with the tines of the fork towards the center of the shortbread and make impressions on the edges.
Note: (if cookie dough has become too soft put it back into freezer for few minutes then work again once firm)
4.On a cookie sheet put parchment paper and  put the cookies 2 inches apart. Put the cookie sheet with cookies  into the freezer for atleast 15- 20 minutes.So it firms up.

**Do not thaw put it straight into the oven and do not open the oven in the middle of baking are the two important  steps to get perfect baked cookies.
5..Preheat oven to 375 F and bake for 10- 12 minutes(depending on oven may take only 8-9 minutes). The shortbread would look pale golden on top and slightly more on the bottom. Note: the shortbread should not be wet like dough but it may be soft on taking out of the oven it will harden as it sits.

6.After 10 minutes remove from paper and allow to cool completely. Store in air tight container. Best used within two days.

Other delicious simple cookies to try :

Impression cookies

Sugar cookies

Almond and Apricot Cookies

Hope you like this Christmas Shortbread Cookies (Without cookie cutter) and fall in love with it.

Meena