Homemade Gift #2: Lime Cornmeal Shortbread
It simply wouldn’t be a holiday without an awesome Christmas cookie or three. I’ve always thought that shortbread is a great cookie to give away to people. It is sturdy, festive, and the flavor improves with time. This year I fell hard for a new shortbread recipe that uses a generous dose of cornmeal in addition to the regular butter/flour/sugar ratio. The cornmeal gives it added texture and makes it touch chewier, which I welcome. It is flavored with lots of fresh lime zest and a little vanilla extract, welcome departures from the heavy chocolate and peppermint favorites of the season. To gift these to friends, secure them in paper boxes or cello bags or any other creative container you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely ground cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime zest (about 3 limes)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Combine the flour, cornmeal, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a large stand mixer beat the butter, sugar, and lime zest until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture until just incorporated.
- Dump the dough into the prepared pan and use wet fingertips to press it evenly into the pan. If you want, you can use a knife to lightly score the bars for cutting so they are 2-inches long and 1-inch wide.
- Bake the shortbread for 35 to 40 minutes, or until set and golden brown. Remove the bars from the oven and immediately cut them with a sharp knife or bench scraper. Then allow them to cool in the pan completely. Once they've cooled they can easily be lifted out with a fork or narrow offset spatula.
- Package and gift!
Notes
adapted from a Fine Cooking Recipe
