Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread is a butter cookie, plain and rich. It bakes up tender and melts on the tongue.

One dough gives three cookies. Roll it flat and cut shapes, scoop it into rounds, or pipe it into lines and swirls. The recipe stays the same, and the shape sets each batch apart.

The dough fits any schedule. Bake it fresh the same day, or shape the cookies, freeze them on a tray, and bake them straight from the freezer later.

The base recipe is our own. Our family has baked from the same spreadsheet version for more than a decade, and it has never let us down.

Prep the work area first. Clean every surface and measure out all the ingredients. Gather the shared tools: the mixing bowl, a hand mixer, a spatula to scrape down the sides, and a lined baking sheet. Heat the oven to 325°F.

Then grab the tool for the shape you want:

Add the room-temperature butter and powdered sugar to a medium bowl. Cream them with a hand mixer, and scrape down the sides often for an even mix.

Add the egg white powder, water, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until the batter comes together fully.

Add the cornstarch and flour. Mix until the dough looks smooth and even.

Now match the dough to the shape. Keep it soft to scoop or pipe. To roll and cut, cover the dough and chill it until firm.

To roll and cut, turn the chilled dough onto a floured surface. Roll it flat, then cut shapes like diamonds. Lift them onto the lined sheet.

To scoop, portion the soft dough with the scoop. Set the rounds on the lined sheet and press each one lightly flat.

To pipe, move the soft dough into a piping bag and cut a small hole at the bottom. Pipe even lines or swirls onto the lined sheet.

Slide the sheet into the oven for about fifteen minutes. Pull the cookies out once the edges start to turn golden brown. To bake from frozen, add a few minutes and watch for the same golden edge.