Kittencal's Buttery Flaky Shortbread Pan Cookies

Submitted by Kittencalrecipezazz

"This recipe will make two pans of the most delicious flaky buttery shortbread and may I add these travel well for shipping ;-) --- using a food processor insures that you will have a very tender flaky cookie, plus they take only minutes to make, these may be made up to 2 weeks in advance and store at room temperature in an airtight container, but they won't last that long lol! and they only get better with time! If you are using unsalted butter then increase the salt to 1/4 teaspoon --- make certain to slice the cookies while it is still warm and then cool completely --- while the baked cookie dough is still warm you can cut into small shapes or circles if desired --- you will *love* these!"

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Yields: 2 (8-inch) pans

ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold butter, cut into pieces (make certain that butter is very cold, place in freezer for about 5-8 minutes)
• 1 cup red and green maraschino cherries, chopped or 1 cup chopped dried cranberries
• powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

directions

1. Set oven to 325°F (set oven rack to second-lowest position).
2. Prepare two (8-inch) round cake pans (can use 8 x8 -inch square pan also).
3. In a food processor blend the first 4 dry ingredients.
4. Add in the cold butter pieces, and blend for about 30 seconds or more to combine.
5. Mix in the chopped maraschino cherries or cranberries.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between the two pans, then press the dough in firmly.
7. Bake for about 30-35 minutes (longer for more crispy) or until baked through and pale golden (don't over bake!).
8. Cool the baked dough in pans for 10 minutes.
9. While the baked dough is still warm cut into small squares (or wedges if using a round pan) then cool completely.
10. Using a spatula transfer to a plate.
11. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar if desired.
12. Delicious!

Reviews

[persi]

This was my first attempt at a shorbread cookie. The dough was not what I expected, it was less like dough and more like moist crumbs. Super easy to prepare though! Pressing it in the cake pans was a lot like making a graham cracker pie crust. I divided my plain dough in half and added 1/2 cup dried cranberries and the zest of 1 lemon to one half. To the other I added 1/2 cup dried apricots and 1/4 tsp almond extract. The results were fabulous! I used glass pans and let the edges just start to brown before pulling from the oven, about 33 minutes for me. I got 16 cookies per pan and they are soft with a nice chew and hold up very well. I was worried when I first pulled them from the oven as they seemed very delicate but after cooling completely I do believe they will package up nicely for travel. I can confirm the baked cookies freeze well and thaw without any trouble. My favorite was the apricot, while I love cranberry lemon, the more subtle apricot and almond flavoring really complimented the rich butteriness of the cookie.

 

[Bagpipestikkie]

Preparation time is acutally about 6 minutes, the other 4 are to triple check the ingredients because it's hard to believe a recipe could be this easy! Wonderful cookies! Especially helpful to me because my son likes cookies soft and 'half baked'. This cookie recipe is so safe....he could eat the dough BEFORE I bake it safely!

 

[jane49423]

Made it with dried cherries. Delicious!

 

[limeleaf]

I liked this recipe a lot and the people at work loved it. I added some lemon zest to the dough, and used dried cranberries. Very very easy to make, and I think they would freeze well too. I'll be making these again soon as one of my Christmas cookies. Bagpipestikke is right; it takes only a few minutes to mix these together...thanks for posting it.

 

[FLUFFSTER]

This recipe is fabulous! I made this to give to my new neighbor who is from Scotland. Thought I'd give her a little piece of home. She loved them! I was so pleased! Baking something new, besides giving it to someone you don't really know, can be stressful. That's why I had a few of them just to calm myself down LOL! Thanks Kitten for sharing and for the best cookies I've had in a long time. I'll be making these often!