Pan Shortbread Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Cream butter and sugar together.
• Add flour and mix till texture is like clay.
• Press dough into ungreased 9 x 13 inch pan, prick all over with a fork, and sprinkle with sugar (tilt pan to cover the top evenly, then shake excess sugar back into the sugar canister).
• Bake for about 40-45 minutes (till very lightly browned--just golden around the edges).
• Let stand for 5 minutes, then cut into 24 squares while warm.
• Leave in pan to cool thoroughly. (Shortbread will not be crisp until cool.).
• Less easy method: Chill dough. Roll into 1-inch balls, then press balls to about 1/4-inch thickness on ungreased cookie sheets with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar (sometimes you can find a glass with a pretty design on the bottom, like a star). Bake at 300° for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).
• Least easy method: Chill dough. Roll out to about 1/4-inch thickness, sprinkle with sugar, then cut with cookie cutters. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 300° for about 20-25 minutes (until edges are very lightly browned).
• Variation: Add 2 tablespoons dried lavender to the creamed butter and sugar before adding flour. It may sound strange, but the flavor is subtle and elegant. Food-grade lavender is usually available in herb bins at health food stores, and I recently found it at a great price from Atlantic Spice online (their Lavender #1).
• Variation: After cutting shortbread into squares (it will still be warm), scatter 1 cup of chocolate chips over the top, let the chocolate soften completely, then spread as a thin layer and let cool completely before removing from pan. (No need to sprinkle shortbread with sugar before baking if you plan to do this.).
• Variation: Stir 1 cup chocolate chips or butterscotch chips into the dough before pressing into pan. You can also try melting the butterscotch over the top, as above. In England, you'll find "caramel shortbread," which has a layer of caramel and a layer of chocolate on top of the shortbread. It's wonderful (of course!). I've tried various ways of doing this and various kinds of caramel, but it's been a while and I don't remember what works best. It can be tricky not to make a mess!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 10 by 14 1/2-inch sheet pan (with sides) with parchment or waxed paper.
• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until soft and smooth. Add the brown sugar and mix until incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the flour and cornstarch. Add to the butter mixture and mix at low speed just until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead it 5 to 10 times, just to smooth the dough.
• Reflour your work surface. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to fit the sheet pan. To transfer to the sheet pan, roll the dough up onto the rolling pin, lift it up, and unroll into the pan. Using light strokes of the rolling pin, roll the dough evenly into the corners and edges of the pan, and roll out any bumps. (Or, press the rolled-out dough thoroughly into the pan with your fingers.) Prick the shortbread all over with a fork to prevent any buckling or shrinking.
• Bake in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, rotate the pan and knock it once against the oven rack, to ensure even cooking and a flat surface. Bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until very lightly browned.
• Immediately sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly over the surface. Let cool 10 minutes, then cut into 1 1/2 by 3-inch bars. Let cool completely in the pan, then store in an airtight container.

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-12-1/2-inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment, then butter the paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough is just combined; do not overwork.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, spreading it out as evenly as possible with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, then use your hands to press and flatten the dough into a smooth even layer. Remove the plastic and cut the dough with a sharp knife into approximately 1-by-3-inch bars. Use a fork to prick a decorative pattern into the tops.
• Bake, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through, until golden, 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes in the pan, then re-cut the bars along the previous cuts. Carefully lift the bars off the parchment with a small spatula and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan, and line bottom with parchment paper. 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. Add salt and vanilla, and beat to combine. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed until just combined.
• Press dough into prepared pan, leveling and smoothing the top. Using a dough scraper or the back of a knife, cut dough lengthwise into nine strips, each slightly less than 1 inch wide. Cut the strips crosswise into thirty-six 3-inch bars. Using the tines of a fork or a wooden skewer, create a decorative pattern on the surface.
• Bake shortbread until evenly pale golden, but not browned, 70 to 85 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool. Invert pan, and remove parchment. Turn shortbread over, and carefully break, or cut with a serrated knife, into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Lightly butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add 1/2 cup butter and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gather dough together and form into ball; flatten into disk. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch-thick round. Transfer round to prepared pan. Using fingers, press dough evenly over bottom to edges of pan. Using tip of small sharp knife, score dough into 8 equal triangles, then pierce all over with fork. Bake until shortbread is cooked through and pale golden, about 45 minutes.
• Using tip of sharp knife, cut warm shortbread into triangles along scored lines. Run knife around shortbread to loosen. Cool in pan at least 30 minutes. Release springform pan sides. Using spatula, carefully remove shortbread from pan (shortbread will be fragile). DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Store shortbread airtight in single layer at room temperature.

Steps:

• Mix butter until light and fluffy.
• Add sugar and beat again till light and fluffy.
• Sift together flour and corn starch.
• Add flour/cornstarch to butter/sugar mixture one cup at a time, making sure its well combined before adding another cup.
• Continue to combine flour into mixture until all is gone. Mix well.
• Dump dough onto a clean medium sized cookie sheet with sides.
• Spread out evenly covering the whole sheet. I use a rolling pin and roll it over the top so my finger prints aren't in the dough.
• Sprinkle 1/4 cup or less of sugar (can use colored sugar), I never measure I just sprinkle until it has a little sparkle.
• Bake at 325 for approx 20 minutes. My oven cooks really hot so you might have to add a minute or two until edges are light brown.
• When out of the oven, I cut the square or rectangles through the shortbread. When cooled I often dip one end into melted chocolate and then roll in sprinkles.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Blend and pulse the 1/2 cup nuts in a food processor with the sugar until mixture resembles coarse sand. (If there are a couple small chunks of nuts that is fine.) Add the butter, vanilla and almond extracts, and the salt, and pulse until creamy. Add the flour and continue to pulse to make a soft dough.
• Turn the dough out into a 9-inch tart pan and spread it out evenly with an off-set spatula. Dip the spatula in a little warm water to help smooth and even the surface of the shortbread. Cover and freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Put the tart pan on a baking sheet and dock (prick) the dough all over with a fork. Generously sprinkle the top of the shortbread with sugar. Toss the remaining whole almonds in the egg white; evenly arrange and press the nuts into the dough around the edge of the pan. Bake until golden brown and set, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• Cool the short bread in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the tart ring and cut the shortbread with a sharp knife into wedges, each with a nut. Cool shortbreads on a rack completely. (Alternatively present the shortbread as 1 large cookie. Cool the shortbread in the pan completely and remove the tart ring. Cut the shortbread into wedges as desired.) Serve. Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cut butter into 1/2-inch pieces. In a food processor process all ingredients until mixture begins to form small lumps. Sprinkle mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and with a metal spatula press evenly onto bottom. Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden, about 20 minutes. While shortbread is baking, prepare topping.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third. Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
• Butter a 10-inch round springform or cake pan. Using plastic wrap, press dough evenly into pan. With plastic on dough, refrigerate 20 minutes.
• Cut dough into 8 wedges with a paring knife. Using a wooden skewer, prick all over at 1/4-inch intervals.
• Bake until golden brown and firm in center, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Recut shortbread into wedges; let cool completely in pan. Can be stored in an airtight container up to 2 weeks.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut shortening into flour until mixture resemble coarse corn meal.
• Add hot cinnamon and 1/4 cup anise tea and kneed dough until smooth.
• This will take a while.
• Roll dough into 1 inch diameter logs about 12 inch long.
• Cut logs into 1/4 in thick circles.
• Place close together on cookie sheet, but not touching.
• They spread very little to not at all.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until bottom side of cookie become lightly golden brown, and when cookie is cut in half, it looks baked all the way through.
• Combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon.
• While cookies are still hot, roll each one in sugar and cinnamon coating with a fork until well coated.
• Place the cookies on cooling rack and cool completely.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Cream butter until light.
• Cream in the powdered sugar and the grated lemon peel.
• Now work in the flour.
• Knead the dough on an unfloured board until nice and smooth.
• Spray the shortbread pan very lightly with a non-stick vegetable spray.
• Firmly press the dough into the shortbread pan.
• Prick the entire surface with a fork, and bake the shortbread right in the pan.
• Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, or until very lightly browned.
• Let the shortbread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before you loosen the edges with a knife and flip the pan over onto a wooden cutting board.
• If the shortbread does not come right out, tap one edge of the pan.
• Cut the shortbread into serving pieces while it is still warm.
• Note: I usually leave it whole and wrap in plastic wrap and tie with ribbon or rafia for gifts.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees.
• Prepare an ungreased 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan.
• Melt 1 cup butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; continue to cook stirring constantly and watching closely until the butter JUST starts to turn golden (about 4-6 minutes, the butter will get foamy and bubble!).
• Remove from heat and refrigerate for 7-8 minutes.
• In a large bowl combine the browned butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar and vanilla in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until well combined.
• Reduce the speed to low and add in all-purpose flour and cake flour; beat until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Press the dough into an ungreased jelly-roll pan.
• Prick all over with fork.
• Bake for 18-22 minutes or until set but not too brown.
• Cool 5 minutes.
• While the dough is still hot, slice into squares, rectangles, diamonds or triangles using a sharp knife.
• To make the glaze; in a heavy saucepan brown 3 tablespoons butter (this should take about 2-3 minutes) cool for 5 minutes.
• In a small bowl combine the browned butter with all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the water; beat or whisk add in enough water to create desired glazing consistancy.
• Drizzle over the COOLED shortbread.
• Let stand for 30 minutes.