View Large Image Shortbread Cookies Recipe Get ingredients: 16 oz (2 cups) butter (unsalted, room temperature, around 65° F / 18° C) 2 oz (1/2 cup) corn starch 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 13.5 oz (3 cups) flour (all-purpose) 4 oz (1 cup) powdered sugar digital scale baking trays parchment paper stand mixer spatula small cookie scoop (1/8 cup) for candy cane cookies: plastic wrap red food colouring plastic rolling mat 1/2 tsp Line the baking trays with parchment paper. Set aside. Attach the paddle to the mixer. Add to mixer mixing bowl: 16 oz (2 cups) butter (chopped into about 16 pieces) Mix on low-then-high speed until smooth (as long as you want). If there's anything in the oven, take it out. If you are not making candy cane cookies, set the oven to bake, 300° F (149° C). (If you are making candy cane cookies, you can turn the oven on later.) Sift into mixer mixing bowl: 4 oz (1 cup) powdered sugar 2 oz (1/2 cup) corn starch 13.5 oz (3 cups) flour Mix on low-then-high speed until light and fluffy (as long as you want). Add to mixer mixing bowl: 1/2 tsp vanilla Mix until combined. Turn off the mixer. For candy cane cookies: Remove half of the dough from the bowl. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Set aside. Add red food colouring to the dough in the bowl. Mix until the colour is consistent. Wrap the red dough in plastic wrap. Place both balls of dough in the fridge. Set a timer for 30 minutes. When the timer is done, remove the dough from the fridge. If there's anything in the oven, take it out. Set the oven to bake, 300° F (149° C). Place a plastic rolling mat on the table. Make sure the mat is dry. Spread flour on the mat generously. Take about 2 tsp (or 10 grams) of each dough separately. Using your hands, roll the dough into two separate balls. On the mat, roll each ball separately into a 5 inch long log. (Roll the white dough and red dough in different areas of the mat so the white dough doesn't turn red.) (If the dough is falling apart, put it back in the fridge or freezer.) Place the logs side by side and stick them together slightly. (Don't squeeze them together too much, or you'll get more of a tie-dye effect than a candy cane effect.) Place the log on the baking tray. Twist the log into a candy cane shape. For regular cookies: Using a cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the pan. Using your hand, flatten the dough slightly. Place the baking tray in the oven on the middle rack. Set a timer for 23 minutes (or until lightly browned on the bottom). When the timer is done, remove the baking tray from the oven. Turn off the oven.
