Buttery Shortbread Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

If you like a rich, buttery shortbread, you will love this cookie recipe. Not only is it delicious, it is very quick to prepare because there are so few ingredients and the dough is easy to roll and cut out. For a tasty variation, see the shortbread cookies with rum-soaked currants, which is in the similar and related recipes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, preferably unsalted, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2-1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add flour and mix thoroughly with hands. Shape into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate to chill dough for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat oven to 300° F. Roll out dough 1/3 to 1/2-inch thick. Cut into fancy shapes with small cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes. (The tops do not brown and the size does not change.) Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

Notes: The buttery flavor of these cookies intensifies with time, so it is best to bake them at least two days before serving. I always recommend using unsalted butter, especially in a recipe like this in which it is the primary flavor, because it tastes fresher than salted. Cookies can be frozen for up to six months.