One lonely Sunday I needed a quick injection of cookie. I realized that I had no chocolate chips, nuts, oatmeal, raisins, or any classic “kitchen sink” cookie ingredient in the house so I had to improvise. I was also out of cream of tartar, so snickerdoodles were out the question. That is when the wonders of Google gave me this shortbread recipe, which has become a craze with the other companies on the floor of my office building. If you are on a diet, DON’T EAT THESE. You might as well just glue the butter straight to your muffin top to save yourself time. (However, they are easy, quick, delicious, and quite addictive.)
Cinnamon Nutmeg Shortbread
(Pillaged from www.recipegoldmine.com)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted, softened butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (Well, mine was freshly ground by McCormick, about 6 months ago.)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Butter Pam (or regular)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 by 13-inch pan with Pam; set aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until light. Add the vanilla. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Slowly blend the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well mixed. With hands, evenly press the dough into the pan. Bake for 17-22 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container. I suggest cutting them however you see fit. I usually cut them into 2-inch squares, yielding 30 cookies.
**Uncooked. Pretty brownness?
**Cooked. See how its pulling away from the edges and turned a darker brown? You also know it’s cooked when you shake the pan and the middle doesn’t wiggle anymore 
Now I have to admit, I do most of my baking in a food processor. When I was still pretty young, Little Mommies taught me that almost all food prep is much easier in a food processor, and that it’s one of the most valuable tools in the kitchen for baking or making dips. I’d always try to “help” Little Mommies when she was baking, and I can only imagine the heart palpitations I caused her when I got too close to the blades on that machine.
(Me at age five. You think I’m cute in that picture? You should have seen me workin’ the food processor.)
This recipe is 100 times easier in a food processor, if you have one. The recipe would follow the same course, however make sure the butter is cold and that you pulse in the dry ingredients. DO NOT over mix. Oh and don’t try to lick the blades like you would the beaters; that never turns out well.
