Shortbread Inventions

Shortbread is such a versatile cookie with great keeping qualities— perfect to send in a care package or to bundle for holiday gifts. It has, however, a ho-hum reputation. Variations keep it seasonal and fresh— This isn’t just for tea-parties. (Though you should totally include it at your next tea party.)

I make this Almond-Demerara Shortbread all-year. Crunchy demerara sugar is a big crystal, light-brown sugar, and it coats the edges of the cookie and gives it a great crunch. The addition of almond flour makes the cookie more delicate and delicious. And I love almond flavor like some people love chocolate.

Almond-Demerara Shortbread

1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened

1 t salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 t. almond extract

1/2 t vanilla extract

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cups almond flour

1 egg white beaten with 1 T water

1/4 cup demerara sugar (use turbinado if you can’t find demerara)

In a medium bowl, cream the butter, white sugar, saltm almond extract, and vanilla. Then beat in the flours.

Divide the dough in half and shape each into a log that is 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Brush the log all over with the egg-white mixture and roll in the demerara sugar. Wrap the logs in wax paper and chill in the fridge until firm, at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Remove the dough from the fridge and slice into 1/3 inch thick rounds. Bake on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner for about 20 minutes, or until the edge are just beginning to color. Remove from the over and transfer to a rack to cool.

I hope you enjoy these! I’ll post some of the seasonal riffs on shortbread as I make them over the year, including the popular Rose Demerara version!