Tender Cherry Shortbread Cookies Food

SHORTBREAD WEDGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper leaving enough overhang around the sides to easily lift shortbread out. (Tip: Parchment is used so you can easily remove the shortbread and not cut it while it's in the pan. I like to use a square of parchment and I cut a 1-inch slit in the center of each side. This helps reduce the amount of creases when lined in the pan.)
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the flour and cornstarch and beat on low speed for 1 minute as the mixture begins to combine. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 1-3 minutes or until the dough clumps together. (It will eventually, just keep mixing it.) If you're adding dry add-ins (see above), this is when you'll add them.
• Divide dough in half. If you want to be totally accurate, weigh the halves to make sure they're even. Recipe makes almost 1.5 lbs of plain dough (will weigh more if you added add-ins). Press each half of dough into a prepared cake pan. You want it nice and compact in the pans. Sprinkle with optional coarse sugar. Dock the surface all over with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
• Bake the shortbread for 28-30 minutes or until very lightly browned on top and around the edges.
• Remove from the oven, place pans on a wire rack, and cool shortbread for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the shortbread from the pans by picking it up with the parchment paper on the sides. Cut each into 8 large, 12 medium, or 16 small wedges. You want to make sure you cut the shortbread while it's still warm. Enjoy warm or cool shortbread completely on wire racks.
• Cover and store shortbread at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you added a topping such as glaze, icing, buttercream, or melted chocolate, refrigerate after 2 days.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, pink pepper and salt. Set aside.
• Place the butter and 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and beat for an additional minute. In two additions, add the flour mixture, beating on low speed until just combined between additions. Pulse in the dried cherries and chocolate chips.
• Place a piece of plastic wrap on a clean, dry surface. Transfer the cookie dough to the plastic wrap, form into a 2-inch-wide log, and wrap tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using a sharp, thin knife, cut the log into 1/3-inch-thick rounds. Set the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet, spaced 1 inch apart, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.
• Bake until just set, 25 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack.

CHERRY SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
• (The spray will adhere to the parchment paper so that it doesn't move.)
• Line this cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• Spray the parchment paper with baking spray. Set aside.
• Whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Line a cutting board with plastic wrap.

CHERRY SHORTBREAD COOKIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Start by softening your butter in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave, this typically takes 15-20 seconds.
• Then, move the butter to a large mixing bowl and whip it with a whisk for about 5 minutes. You can also use a Kitchen Aid mixer or a handheld electric mixer for this step too. The butter is whipped adequately when it looks more like whipped cream.
• Next, lay about 20-25 maraschino cherries out on a napkin to dry. I gently pressed another napkin on top to absorb additional moisture.
• After the butter is whipped well, add the sugar, almond extract, cornstarch and the flour and whisk well to combine. Continue to mix on high for 3-4 additional minutes.
• If you have a 1 TBSP cookie scoop, using it makes this process very easy. Shortbread dough is very soft and buttery, so it is actually pretty difficult to shape by itself.
• Using your cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and level it off using the side of the bowl.
• Then, stick your thumb into the center of the scoop of leveled dough.
• After that, put a cherry inside the thumbprint and gently press down.
• Using the dough that has collected on the sides, cover the top of the cherry.
• Push the lever to eject the cookie out of the scoop and into your hand, round out the cookie dough into balls.
• Place each ball of dough onto your prepared baking sheet about 1-2" apart.
• Repeat process until all cookie dough is used.
• Put the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes, until the bottom of the cookies begin to lightly brown.
• Once baking is complete, remove from the oven and let them sit for a few minutes to cool down on the pan. Shortbread cookies are soft and fragile even after baking, so if you try to move them too soon, they might crack or fall apart.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, and the maraschino cherry juice.
• Then, put a plastic baggie over the top of a cup and scrape the icing into the baggie.
• Proceed to cut a small piece off the corner from the baggie and drizzle over the top of each cookie.
• If you do not want to add the cherry surprise center that is ok too! Follow all the same instructions until you get to the cherry center and jump to the instructions below.
• Once the cookie dough is completely mixed, drop the cookie dough onto a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper.
• Using the plastic wrap, gently form the dough into a cookie log if you will. The dough will shape easily- I like mine at about a 1.5" thick.
• Then, place the cookie log into the freezer for 5-10 minutes. You do not want it frozen solid, you just want it cold enough so that you can slice.
• After it is chilled, unwrap the cookie log and use a sharp, thin knife to slice the dough into rounds.
• Proceed to place them out on a cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes.

CHERRY SHORTBREAD HEARTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sift the icing sugar, flour and cornflour together into a bowl. Stir in the ground almonds and butter, then rub in the butter until smooth. Stir in the chopped glacé cherries and almond extract, and bring together to form a dough.
• Roll out on a lightly floured surface, then stamp out biscuits using a heartshaped cutter. Keep re-rolling the trimmings until all the dough is used. Carefully transfer the biscuits to baking trays lined with parchment and bake for just 8-10 mins until just pale golden.
• Using an upturned bottle top or similar, press gently into the centre of each biscuit to make a round indent. Spoon in a little jam and return to the oven for 2 mins. Remove and cool on a wire rack, before dusting with icing sugar to serve.