Basic Shortbread

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 275°.
• 2 butter a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan, and line bottom with parchment paper.
• 3 in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• 4 add salt and vanilla, and beat to combine.
• 5 add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until just combined.
• 6 press dough into prepared pan, leveling and smoothing the top.
• 7 using a dough scraper or the back of a knife, cut dough lengthwise into nine strips slightly less than 1 inch wide.
• 8 cut the strips crosswise into thirty-six 3-inch bars.
• 9 using the tines of a fork or a wooden skewer, create a decorative pattern on the surface.
• 10 bake shortbread until evenly pale golden, but not browned, 70 to 85 minutes.
• 11 transfer pan to a wire rack to cool.
• 12 invert pan, and remove parchment.
• 13 turn shortbread over, and carefully break, or cut with a serrated knife, into bars.
• 14 store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.