Shortbread Cookies are on the menu in this instructable by In the Kitchen with Matt. These delightfully yummy shortbread cookies are incredibly simple to make, and are packed with yummy goodness. Using just a few simple ingredients, we combine them together to create a completely amazing cookie, that is super versatile. I love these cookies! You can make them plain with no toppings, or do like I did and add Strawberry Preserves, powdered sugar, glaze, or even chocolate.

Please feel free to make comments, I always enjoy reading them.

Follow the easy steps below or watch the video tutorial, or better yet do both!

Step 1: Ingredients

Print the recipe here if you like.

Ingredients:

1 Cup of All Purpose Flour
1/3 cup of Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup of softened butter
1/4 tsp of vanilla extract (optional - classic shortbread cookies don't use vanilla extract)

Toppings:

Strawberry Preserves
Powdered Sugar
Glaze (1/4 cup of powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tsp of milk, 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract)

Tools:

Hand mixer or stand mixer - If you don't have one find it here
Spatula
Bowls
cookie sheet - if you don't have one find it here
cooling rack - if you don't have one find it here
scissors
plastic
bag
spoon
fork

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Step 2: Mix Dough Ingredients

First we pre-heat our oven to 350 degrees F. Then we combine our dough ingredients. The flour, sugar, butter, and 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract (optional). It also works well if you cream the butter and the sugar and vanilla extract (optional) first, before adding the flour. With your hand mixer or stand mixer, mix the ingredients until it gets crumbly.

Step 3: Use Hands to Form Dough

Now we take our hands, and squeeze the dough together, and mix it together firmly, then we form it into a ball shape, and place it in the refrigerator for about 15 to 20 minutes. It is not absolutely necessary to chill the dough, but I find it is easier to work with if you do.

Step 4: Form Cookies

Now we form the cookies. Take a bit of dough, and roll it together in your hands, creating a ball, that is roughly 1.5 inches in diameter. Then use your thumb to push down the center to create a divot for the preserves to fit in. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet.

Step 5: Fill With Strawberry Preserves

Now we take a spoon and fill up the divots with Strawberry preserves, or you can use blackberry, apricot, whatever you like. Then we will bake them in the over at 350 degrees F, for 15 to 18 minutes, the bottom edge of the cookie will get slightly golden brown.

Step 6: Let Cookies Cool

Now we take them out of the oven and let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 2 minutes. Then we place them on a cooling rack and let them cool for about 15 minutes.

Step 7: Make Glaze

For our glaze topping we combine 1/4 cup of powdered sugar, with 1 to 2 tsp of milk. Start with 1 tsp and go from there to achieve your desired thickness, also combine the 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract. Use a fork to mix it together.

Step 8: Pipe on the Glaze (topping 1)

Now we drizzle on the glaze with a make shift piping bag. Add the glaze to the bag, and snip off the corner. It just gives you a bit more control. You can also just dip your fork or spoon in the glaze and use that to add the topping to the cookie.