These buttery shortbread cookies are a family favorite: they are both simple to make and delicious to eat. This version is spiked with shards of crystallized ginger.
Made with unbleached wheat flour, these cookies are definitely not gluten-free. Shortbread comes from Scotland, where it was made with oats. I’m planning to experiment in the future with a sort of ‘back to the roots’ version, using oat flour, for a gluten-free version. If any of my readers does this, speak up in the comments!
Ginger Shortbread Rounds
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (149g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract optional
- 2 ⅓ cups (283g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (106g) crystallized ginger
Preheat the oven to 325˚F.
Combine the butter, salt, sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl, and beat until completely smooth.
Put about 1 cup of the flour in a food processor with the crystallized ginger. Whir until the ginger is finely minced – this may take a up to a full minute.
Add the ginger/flour mixture, along with the rest of the flour, to the butter-sugar mixture. Beat until well combined.
Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a stout little roll about 2 inches in diameter. The dough may be made ahead to this point and chilled up to a day.
Slice each dough roll into 12 rounds, and place each on a parchment-paper lined baking sheet, being careful to maintain the round shape. Prick each round with a fork to prevent it from forming air bubbles as it bakes.
Bake the shortbread 15-20 minutes, until it is golden brown all over and a little browner at the edges. Cool on the parchment sheets at least 10 minutes, before moving the rounds: they are delicate while still warm.