KEEP IT SECRET, KEEP IT SAFE.
The Lindsay Family Shortbread is the true test of family strength: in that you’re gonna need some other family members to pass the bowl too when you rage quit the mixing process OR: a REALLY good mixer. WAY more fun if there’s yelling though.
This is: HANDS DOWN, the most important Cookie for the holidays in our household mainly because to ME: this TASTES like Christmas when I was a little kid. That’s as much life story as you’re getting, let’s get baking.
WHAT YOU NEED
- 3 Cups AP Flour (IF MAKING GF: AP GF Flour with Xantham Gum included)
- 1 Cup Icing Sugar
- 2 Cups SALTED BUTTER NOT SOFTENED (or, if heart attack desired, toss the whole freakin pound in. your choice, really. (add a few spoons of flour and sugar though, if you’re using the full lb) (VEGAN SUB: BECEL VEGAN. IT’S THE BEST, STRAIGHT UP.)
- ***IF MAKING GF*** 1 TBS Corn Starch
THE METHOD
- Preheat Oven to 325
- Toss it ALL in a large bowl, and beat the living snot out of it for at LEAST 15 minutes, until a doughy consistency is reached. (You COULD Use a stand mixer, but then you don’t get the amazing FULL FAMILY FIGHTS that usually erupt as you pass the bowl around whenever your arm gets tired. A TIME-HONOURED TRADITION in the Lindsay family)
- Line cookie sheets with Parchment paper
- Roll dough into Balls (about an inch and a half to two inches, your choice.), press down with a fork.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, Or until the Bottoms start turning LIGHT brown (Best if they don’t brown at all, really.)
Some people like to put little sprinkles, coloured sugar or even chocolate dip these. DON’T. Don’t sully the perfection with those grainy little punks or an unnecessary flavour pairing ON THE COOKIE PROPER.
Pour yourself a Glass of BAILINDSAYS and plate a few of these, then send the thank you cards along. >3
I don’t do LIFE stories, but the SEO thing on this site DEMANDS at least 600 words for optimal scores SO: I’ll bury the extra words DOWN HERE since we’ve already gotten to the important part of it. These cookies: are the only “EVERY YEAR” thing for me. Always have been, always will be. They’re SO very engrained in my memories that I can remember the smell of the tupperware lettuce containers we used to keep them in, 80’s/90’s until they were destroyed. With the little crisper insert, lined with wax paper for each row, of which: there were MANY. DON’T MAKE EM HUGE. (yes, I stopped myself from writing “Don’t make huge balls” there. ) A Small-ish cookie size = Perfection. Easier to sneak, that way. :)
A word to the wise: Don’t skip the amount of time you’re supposed to whip it. Dead serious: it changes the consistency completely, moving it into the SUBLIME realm of mouth-melty goodness.
Is that 600 yet? Hope so.
EAT WITH MODERATION: hahahaahhaahahahahahahaha, no you won’t. Happy Holidays.