Shortbread Cookies

By cindygwest

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Details

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.

Beat butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla and flour until well combined. Pat our half of dough into a 12 x 10 inch rectangle (about 1/8 inch thick) with floured fingertips on an un-greased cookie sheet. Cut into 35 pieces with a floured knife (don't separate them). Prick each several times with a fork. Repeat with remaining half of dough on another un-greased cookie sheet.

Bake in upper and lower third of oven, switching positions of sheets halfway through, until edges are pale golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

While cookies are still hot, re-cut along same lines. Let stand on cookie sheet 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool'

Dip cookies in chocolate (1 bag of good quality chips does the trick); You can also sprinkle them with crushed peppermint candies and nonpareils. Baked shortbread, layered between wax paper in an airtight container, keeps at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.