I have come close to burning these cookies so that they are brown, brown.  But they’re still tasty; some people like them best this way.  My husband among them.  Could you ask more of cookie than that it taste good darned near burnt?  While doing a bit of research for this post, I discovered this tidbit on Eli Zabar’s website where you can order these cookies:

Eli always reaches straight for the darkest cookies – the browner the cookie, the more deeply caramelized the sugar and the better the taste.

I often make this recipe and cut out the cookie both thin and small–1/4-inch x 1 1/2-inches, say.  The tiny gems not only melt in your mouth, you get a cookie fix for a lot less calories than if you made big peanut butter or chocolate chip cookies.  Maybe simple pleasures are best.

For Alyce’s sparkly stars:  white sugar for sprinkling
For Alyce’s sandwich cookies:  3/4 c seedless raspberry jam and 1T Cointreau
For Alyce’s chocolate dips:  3-6 oz Valrhona Chocolate melted*; 1T coarse sea salt–or fleur de sel

Instructions:

Mix together the butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until just combined.  Add vanilla.  Sift the flour and salt and add it to the butter an d sugar.  Mix until the dough starts to come together.  Dump on a floured board and shape into a flat disc. Refrigerate, tightly wrapped, for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. 

Roll dough out 1/4″   thick on a floured surface and cut with 1 1/2- 2″   fluted cookie/biscuit cutter.  Bake on an ungreased sheet for about 10 minutes–until edges show the faintest signs of gold. Remove to cooling rack.  Let cool to room temperature.

alyce’s variations:

Sprinkle UNBAKED cookies generously with white, granulated sugar before baking.


For Raspberry Shortbread Sandwiches: Time Consuming but has the WOW! factor + taste

Mix jam with Cointreau and heat briefly; stir well.  Turn cookies flat side up and, holding one, place about 1/2 teaspoon jam mixture on it.  Place another cookie, flat side down into the jam mixture and press together lightly.  Place  cookies on racks as you finish them.  When all are done, dust with confectioner’s sugar shaken from the shaker or through a small strainer/sieve.


For Valrhona Chocolate Shortbreads: Nothing further need be said…

Chop or grate chocolate (I like Valrhona, but any good-quality dark chocolate will do.) into a small sauce pan.  Place sauce pan over  another with an inch or so of simmering water.  Let chocolate melt slowly.  When melted, take each cookie and dip halfway.  Place each dipped cookie onto a wax paper lined tray to dry.  Place a piece or two of sea salt, if desired, on the chocolate side before the chocolate dries.

*Depending on how much of the dough you commit to the chocolate variation.

Store these cookies in tight containers after they are very dry.  Place wax paper between layers.

{printable recipe}