It wouldn't be Christmas without shortbread...

Christmas Shortbread

This is a recipe that I have used for years.  It is easy and fairly quick to whip up a batch, and they are a real crowd pleaser.

 

1 lb butter (room temperature)

1 cup sugar

4 cups flour

A sweet tradition at our house.

Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy.  Add the flour and work it in with your hands.  The warmth of your hands will help make the dough soft, like play dough.  Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut the cookies using whatever shape you like.  I used a fluted cutter that was about 2" in diameter.  Put the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet about an inch apart.  Using parchment paper will really help with clean up.  Sprinkle with a little coloured sugar for a festive look. Bake at 350F for about 10-12 minutes.  The baking time will depend on the size of your cookies and how thinly you rolled the dough.  My 2 inch cookies took 11 minutes.  It is very important to not overbake shortbread, so watch them carefully.  The edges should be just barely brown, if at all.  Some of the cookies in my picture above were a little browner than I wanted them to be, but they still tasted great.  This makes about 4 dozen 2 inch cookies.

Enjoy!

The turkey tree

Our Beltsville small white turkeys sure do get around.  There are six of them hiding in this tree.