Shortbread, yum!

Yesterday was National Shortbread Day.  Shortbread is one of my favorite cookies.  Aw, heck, I haven't met a cookie I didn't like.  Of all the cookies, shortbread does head the list!

Last night I whipped up my favorite shortbread recipe and tucked a slice into my husband's lunch box for a sweet surprise.  This is a simple, delicious shortbread.

Simple Shortbread

1 stick of butter, softened
1 c flour
1/2 c powdered sugar
splash of vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 (if you use a convection oven) or 325 if not!  Sift flour and sugar together.  Place butter into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.  Add vanilla, beat again and add dry ingredients a bit at a time until dough forms a ball.  Put dough on parchment paper and roll out until thin, about 1/3".  You can also pat it into a pie pan, like my Grandma Holt used to do.  She'd score it into triangles and bake, then remove and cool, then break along the lines.  If you don't use the pie pan method, do like I do, after you roll it out, use a pizza cutter to score the dough into 2" square cookies.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the bottom is brown but the top is still light brown.  Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes, then break along lines.

If desired, you can sprinkle with sugar, or ice with a glaze, but I prefer mine just plain.  Simple goodness!