Classic Shortbread -- April Secret Recipe Club

Here we are again for another venture into the Secret Recipe Club!

This Month I had the privilege of getting to know the girls over at Feast on the Cheap!

They actually had my blog in February and did a great rendition of Pretzel Bites!

Something I absolutely loved about this Mom and Daughter Pair, Mary Anne and Mariel, was that for each recipe they cost out what it would typically cost you to make it and also have a WONDERFUL guide on what to have in a Well Stocked Pantry.

There is nothing better than a classic cookie or bar and this Shortbread was an absolute treat. You could taste the butter and it was a great cookie to put some raspberry jam on that I had received for the Foodie Pen Pals!

Classic Shortbread

recipe adapted from this recipe at Feast on the Cheap

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder 
¼ tsp. salt (regular table salt)
2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
½ cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest




Directions:

1. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.


2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and the confectioners sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract.


3. Remove the bowl from the electric mixer and stir in the flour in two additions using a wooden spoon, alternating with the lemon zest. Stir until everything comes together in a thick dough.


4. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. 


5. Preheat the oven 325 degrees.


6. Butter a 10 by 10 square baking dish. Press the dough into the pan.


7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bottom of the shortbread is just turning golden.


8. Cool on a wire rack and cut into bars/cookies.


9. Enjoy with your choice of jam. (I served with Raspberry Jam and Lemon Curd).