Martha Stewart’s Traditional Shortbread

These classic cookies are rich in history and in texture, and they are a staple dessert-table fixture during the holidays. You can bake them in a mold topped with beautiful traditional patterns like thistles, or choose to keep it simple by baking in a pie tin. All it takes is the perfect combination of butter, sugar, and flour—and you’ll have a delicious, giftable dessert.

INGREDIENTS

  • Vegetable-oil cooking spray, for mold
  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) salted butter, room temperature
  • ¾ superfine sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup rice flour

EQUIPMENT

You'll need a shortbread pan for this. (You can also just use a pie plate)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Coat an 8-inch ceramic shortbread mold with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugar until well combined. Add flours and mix until just combined and a shaggy dough forms.
  3. Firmly press dough into mold in an even layer. Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, about 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove from oven; turn oven off. Let shortbread cool in mold 10 minutes.
  4. Invert a parchment-lined baking sheet onto back of mold. Carefully re-invert, turning mold onto sheet; lift off mold. Using a sharp knife, cut shortbread into wedges. Separate wedges, then return sheet to oven until shortbread is dry, at least 1 hour. Let cool completely.