Maple Shortbread

The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Yields: 24 wedges

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup  maple sugar
• 1  cup unsalted butter
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 -2  teaspoon  maple extract
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1⁄3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°; lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans; sprinkle each pan with 1 tablespoon of the maple sugar.
2. In a bowl, cream together the butter, salt, regular sugar, ½ cup maple sugar, maple extract, and vanilla; then beat in the flour.
3. Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans, smoothing surface with your fingers.
4. Sprinkle each round with 1 tablespoon of the remaining maple sugar, pressing it in gently.
5. Prick the dough with a fork in an attractive pattern.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until it is golden brown around the edges.
7. Remove it from the oven and loosen the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife.
8. Wait 5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean work surface, all in one piece.
9. Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut each round into 12 wedges (do this while the shortbread is still warm; if you wait until it is cool, it will not cut easily).
10. Transfer the wedges to a rack to cool.