Following my Cookie People escapade, I dove into making Cookie Hearts and this time I’ve got the recipe AND the step by steps in picture here!

Measure out all your ingredients and get the utensils ready people – btw you don’t need a Kitchenaid Mixer a handheld mixer would work just fine, if that’s the case you’ll need a large bowl for mixing.

Now let’s begin!

Shortbread Cookies adapted from Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home

Equipment Needed

Mixer with Paddle attachment
Rubber Spatula
Pastry Board
Plastic Wrap
Cookie Cutters
Rolling Pin
Your Hands!
Baking Sheet
Baking Paper

Ingredients

200g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
½ cup caster sugar with a little extra for sprinkling
1 tsp vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour

Method

1. Mix butter and sugar in a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment on low speed until it combines.

2. Increase to medium speed and beat for about 3 mins until light and creamy.

3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix in the vanilla.

4. Turn down the speed of the mixer to low, mix in the flour to combine.

5. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough begins to cling to the paddle and no longer looks dry. Don’t wait for it to form a solid mass.

6. Bring the dough together with your hands, using the heel of your hand to press down.

7. Put the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and pat it into a rectangle ½ – ¾ inch thick.

8. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. (Dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks: defrost frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator)

9. Roll out the dough between 2 pieces of baking paper to about ¼ inch thick. Remove the top sheet of baking paper and place on a baking sheet.

10. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

11. Cookie Cutting Options:

a) Square Cookies: use a knife to cut the dough into 2 inch squares. Once cut place on the baking paper -lined baking sheet. If cookies have gone soft place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes until firm and transfer to baking sheet.

b) SHAPES!!!! – with your cookie cutter shapes, press the cookie cutters through the dough. Remove the excess and ball up for re-rolling. Repeat cookie cutting until all the dough is used. Transfer to baking sheet.

12. Sprinkle sugar over the cookies. Place the cookies in the oven on the 2nd or middle rack of the oven and bake for 12 minutes. For even baking, rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking and bake cookies until crisp and light golden brown.

13. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 2-5 minutes. Cookies can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Enjoy them with some melted chocolate *mmmm*