Make This Simple Shortbread for Easter This Year [RECIPE]

My daughter goes NUTS for shortbread. I used to buy it at the store, but then I realized I could make awesome, buttery, delicious shortbread at home for half the cost. The recipe is so easy yet the results are incredible. Make a batch for Easter this year!

This simple shortbread is delicious on its own. I usually roll the dough out flat on a cookie sheet and cut it into squares or thin fingers, but you can also bake it in a tart tin and use your shortbread tart as the base for another dessert (cheesecake, lemon pie) or cut it into wedges and serve with macerated strawberries.

I am so hungry right now. I need to start typing this recipe before I eat my own arm.

Meg's Super-Simple Shortbread

Ingredients

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Butter (2 sticks at room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Pour the granulated sugar into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream room temperature butter until it is light and fluffy.
3. Add powdered sugar and mix at medium speed until all the sugar is incorporated.
4. Continue to mix at medium speed until the butter and powdered sugar combo is the light and fluffy--think the consistency of frosting.
5. Stick your finger in the bowl and eat a little of the butter/sugar combo. Do not feel even slightly guilty about this. 
6. Slowly add the flour and salt. You may think there's no way it will ever blend together, but it will. Be patient.
7. Mix at low speed until a soft ball of dough forms.
8. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and roll it into a ball.
9. Remove the beaters from your mixer and eat all the shortbread dough off of them. BOTH OF THEM. Eat all that buttery goodness. Immediately place the beaters in the dishwasher so that if your husband/child asks for one, you can innocently bat your eyes and say you're sorry--you rinsed them both off.
10. Place the ball in the bowl with the granulated sugar and roll the ball of shortbread dough around until it is evenly coated in sugar.
11. Move the ball to the sheet/tart tin in which you'll be baking it. *I bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
12. Flatten with your hands and then place a sheet of plastic cling wrap over the dough.
13. Curse loudly at the plastic cling wrap because it sticks to itself. WHAT IS SATANIC TORTURE DEVICE? Can anyone use it flawlessly?
14. Curse some more, but quieter this time because your kid heard you.
15. Repeat until you have a smooth sheet of cling wrap over the shortbread dough. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough and smooth its surface.
16. Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle granulated sugar over the top of the smoothed dough. Use your hands--it will help the sugar stick to the sough.
17. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to score the shortbread.
18. Use a fork to pierce holes into the top of the dough. Pretend the dough is the inventor of cling wrap and rage-stab the dough.
19. Wrap the cookie sheet (or tin) tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
20. Remove and bake in an oven preheated to 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown.
21. Allow slices to cool at least ten minutes before serving. IF YOU CAN LAST THAT LONG.

That's it! My daughter loves warm shortbread, so I always serve her a peice or two not long after it comes out of the oven. The recipe is so easy I could make it in my sleep--and since it contains no eggs, you can eat all the raw dough you want. It's a win-win. Try it out for the upcoming holiday and let me know how yours turns out.