Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup seedless red raspberry jam
sugar for sprinkling
1 cup powdered sugar
3 to 4 teaspoons water
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl beat butter medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the the 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with electric mixer and then using a wooden spoon stir in any remaining flour. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Using your thumb, press an indentation into the center of each ball. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the jam into each indentation and then sprinkle with sugar. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.

3. For icing, in a medium bowl combine powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon water and 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract. Add enough of the remaining water to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle cookies with icing.

Christmas Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Cornstarch
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup red, white & green candy sprinkles
1/2 cup powdered icing sugar

Preparation 

- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)

- With an electric mixer or stand mixer, you'll whip the butter until it is smooth and fluffy. This is probably the most important step in making these cookies! Star in the sugar, corn starch and flour. Continue to mix on low for another two minutes, then increase the speed to high for three extra minutes.

- Place spoonfuls of the mixture on an ungreased cookie sheet, keeping about 2-3 inches of space between the cookies.

- Bake for about 14 minutes in the oven. You'll want to keep a close eye on these to ensure they don't get too brown on the edges. If you have a gas oven vs. electric, you may need to leave them for a few extra minutes -- this was something we noticed when we switched to gas a few years ago.

- You can finish the cookies with the powered icing sugar and Christmas themed sprinkled for an extra touch. Enjoy!

Salted Caramel Shortbread

Salted Caramel Shortbread

For the shortbread layer:

10 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg yolk

1-2/3 cups flour

For the caramel:

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2 tsp sea salt, plus more for sprinkling on top

4 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp heavy cream

1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract

- Line an 8x8" pan with parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the sides to make removal easier.

- In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, and salt with a pastry cutter or fork.  Add the egg yolk and continue mixing.  

- Add the flour and use your hands to combine the dough until coarse crumbs form.  Transfer the dough into the prepared pan and press it down into one even layer.  

- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes, until slightly golden brown.  Set aside to cool.  

- For the caramel, combine the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, salt, sugar, and heavy cream.  Bring to a boil and stir for about 5-10 minutes until caramel reaches the "soft ball stage" at around 230 degrees.  

- Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour caramel over the shortbread.  

- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, then sprinkle with sea salt and cut into squares.  Store caramels in the fridge until you're ready to eat them.

(Source)