Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
Holiday Cookie Edition
Hey upper east siders. Gossip girl here. Haha. That was so random. For some reason the opening scene of the show just wrapped my mind. I must re-watch over the Christmas right after I watch The Holiday and Carol.
I will get straight to the point of this piece now. My first cookie recipe of the season. I’m committed to providing more recipes during the holidays. Jam drops. Sumac strawberry jam. It’s hard to feel the Christmas spirit as an adult. Baking gives me the feeling from all angles. Okay, sorry. Here is the recipe.
The ingredient list below.
300g Plain Flour
260g Unsalted Vegan Butter, Softened
130g Icing Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 Tsp of Orange Blossom Water (Optional)
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon (Optional)
Strawberry Jam or jam of choice (for filling)
The ultimate rule. Preheat your oven. Preheat to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Mix together the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Whipped butter is holy. You can use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest, mixing well. Gradually sift in the flour, stirring until the dough comes together.
Roll the dough into small balls (about the size of a walnut). Flatten each ball slightly with your palm. Optionally, use your thumb to make a small indent in the centre for filling after baking. Otherwise you can use a small spoon.
Place the cookies on the prepared tray, spaced slightly apart. Freeze for 10 minutes. Right after the freezing moment, bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Allow the cookies to cool completely. If you made indents, fill them with strawberry jam. I make my jam from scratch. I think a jam recipe will need it’s own recipe. It’s a slow recipe. I’ve made these cookies with strawberry, raspberry and blackberry jam. All yum. Although, personally sumac strawberry jam is my favourite. If didn’t make the indent, you can spread jam between two cookies to make shortbread sandwiches.
Coooooooookies. A universal love language for real. Enjoy with coffee or tea. Or just enjoy on it’s own.
Christiana