Brown Sugar Shortbread

This Brown Sugar Shortbread recipe calls for 3 ingredients and 30 minutes - so simple, even a college student can turn out crispy, tender strips of shortbread cookies without loosing sleep.

This bare-bones recipe calls only for butter, sugar and flour. It does leave plenty of room for inspiration and experimentation.

Try adding a little vanilla or almond extract.

A quick dusting with powdered sugar while the cookies are still warm will melt right in.

And for a quick party platter, melt a couple of chocolate candy bars, such as Hershey's milk chocolate, and quickly drizzle it over the cookies. Instant wow!

Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookie Recipe

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

Preheat the oven to 300F.

Cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually pour in the flour and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes.

Spread the dough out directly onto a baking sheet, pressing down with your hands to make sure it's evenly distributed.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown. While still in the sheet pan, cut them into strips that are about 2 inches long by 1 inch wide. After they have cooled for about 5 minutes, remove them to wire racks to cool completely.

Good To Know - This recipe is easily doubled, and the baked cookies freeze well, if securely wrapped in plastic then wrapped in foil.

Food For Thought - Some people miss the extra depth that a little salt can bring to sweet baked items. You might like to add 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to the all purpose flour before blending with the butter and sugar. You could also use regular (salted) butter.

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You Might Need:

• Kitchen Supply Aluminum Half Size Sheet Pan 18-inch by 13-inch

• Calphalon 12-by-17-Inch Rectangular Nonstick Cooling Rack

• Silpat 11-5/8-by-16-1/2-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat

• Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop