Grandma's Scotch Shortbread Recipe, a Christmas Tradition

The following should make you enough 2 x 2 squares to feed...well, I don't know exactly how many, this isn't an exact science for me, but it will make you a lot!

You'll need a couple of greased and lightly floured sheet cake pans. If you prefer using a cookie cutter and making cookies, you can do that too. It's a little more work, but fun.

Ingredients:

4 Cups Sifted All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup Confectioner's Sugar
2 Cups Butter (softened to room temperature)
1/2-1 teaspoon Salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to about 325 F
2. Use a mixer at medium speed and cream your butter.
3. GRADUALLY add sugar, and beat until fluffy
4. Mix the flour and salt, and sift into the butter mixture, blending with your hands as you add
5. Take the mixture and press it into your pans. This is a thick mixture, so you will not be pouring it, but "pressing" it into the pan(s), to about 1/2" thick.
6. Pinch all around the edge to form a "fluted" rim.
7. Prick the surface at even intervals with a fork.

TIP: If you don't use a Shortbread Cutter, use a sharp knife to mark out your squares, don't cut completely through, just enough so they break nicely after baking.

Baking:

Recipes tell you about 50 or so minutes, and remove when firm (but not hard...it "hardens" after it is removed and cooled) but I want you to look for this sign that your shortbread is just right. The fluted edge and a little way in from the fluted edge should be a nice light brown, the rest of it should be a golden color, from just in from the edge to the center. It should be firm, but not brown all over.

Cool in the pan, then cut where marked.

Now you're going to have times when you don't do this perfectly, it will still taste good, it's just "yummier" if it is still a nice golden color after baking.

TIP: If you use a glass pan, put it in the center of the oven, aluminum, a lower shelf.