Recipe for Shortbread

The lovely cookies made from this recipe for shortbread are to enjoy year round.

These sugar coated cookies are often referred to as Jewish shortbread cookies.

The basic ingredients are the same as for a traditional shortbread, but this recipe adds walnuts that have been finely ground.

The nuts give the cookies a denser texture and firmness. You don't have to be limited to walnuts - ground pecans or almonds are ideal substitutions.

Jewish Recipe for Shortbread Cookies

1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup walnuts, finely ground
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Pre-heat the oven to 325F.

Whisk together the all purpose flour and the kosher salt.

Cream the softened butter with the 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Stir in the ground walnuts, vanilla extract and the flour mixture. Beat until smooth.

Form crescent shapes from 1 tablespoon of the dough. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets and bake in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown.

Whisk together the 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the ground cinnamon. While the cookies are still warm, roll them in this mixture, and then set them on wire racks to cool completely. Store the baked cookies in an airtight container.

On Your Own - Mix up your spices a little. You can add nutmeg and allspice to go with the cinnamon, or add a pinch of powdered cloves to the other spices. It's best to roll the cookies in the spiced sugar while they are warm so the sugar sticks to them.

More Shortbread Cookie Recipes

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