Cashew Shortbread Cookie Recipe

Caitlin Daniels, of Download (PDF)

Ingredients:

• 10 oz (2 cups) unbleached flour (we use Shepherd’s Grain low-gluten flour)
• 8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 5 oz (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
• 1 oz (¼ cup) fine rice flour
• ¼ t. salt
• 2 oz toasted cashews (if salted, omit above salt from recipe.)

Instructions:

1. In a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, pulse all ingredients until
   the ingredients are equally distributed, and the dough comes together in
   a crumbly mass.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper.
3. Shape and flatten the dough into a disk.
4. Lightly sprinkle the dough with flour.
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough evenly to ¼ inch thickness.
6. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes.
7. Place cookies on prepared sheet pans.
8. Bake until lightly golden in color (approximately 10-12 minutes.)
9. From time to time, we like to dip our shortbread in tempered, melted chocolate.

Variations:

1. Instead of cashews, feel free to substitute other nuts, lemon zest, orange
   zest, baking spices, candied ginger, or whatever combination of these
   flavors you think might be to your liking! We love to make lavender
   shortbread in the summer by substituting 2 T. fresh lavender for the nuts.
   In the winter, we make spice shortbread by adding pie spices and
   candied ginger to the dough. Experiment, and have fun!

yield: 4 dozen

Recipe courtesy of Caitlin Daniels, Two Tarts Bakery