Shortbread Cookies

My Uncle owns a bakery in North Carolina and one of my favorite cookies at his bakery is shortbread. Being that I only get his yummy goodies a few times a year, when I came across this recipe I knew that I had to give it a try. Of course, I don't come anywhere close to my Uncle's from scratch bakery but this recipe was yummy enough to hold me over till my next North Carolina trip :) The day I was making this recipe I just so happened to be on the phone with him. He asked me what I was doing with the noise in the background so I proceeded to tell him I was cutting butter into flour lol. He of course made sure I was using REAL butter! So, my advice handed down from my Uncle the baker when you make this recipe use REAL butter :)

Shortbread Cookies

A Treat that Is Not Super Sweet

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup butter; I let the butter sit out to room temperature in order to cut it into the flour with ease

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. In a medium bowl combine flour and sugar. Using a pasty blender (or I use 2 butter knives to cut the butter in) cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling
3. Form the mixture into a ball and knead until smooth
4. To make shortbread wedges, on an ungreased cookie sheet pat or roll the dough into an 8-inch circle
5. Make a scalloped edge
6. Cut circle into 16 wedges (I only got 8 wedges out of it)
7. Leave wedges in the circle
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bottom just starts to brown and center is set
9. Cut circle into wedges again while warm
10. Cool on cookie sheet 5 minutes
11. I sprinkled the cookies with sugar while they were still warm and cooling
12. Transfer wedges to a wire rack and let cool (I skipped this last step)

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New CookBook 15th edition