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Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies

Source of Recipe


From "Baking From My House to Yours" by Dorie Greenspan



List of Ingredients



• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  
• ¼ cup cornstarch
  
• ½ tsp salt
  
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
  
• 2/3 cup sugar
  
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
  
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or ½ tsp pure almond extract
  






Instructions



1. Sift flour, cornstarch and salt together into a bowl. Whisk in the cornmeal. Working in the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, rub sugar and zest together with your fingers until sugar is moist and aromatic.
   
   
2. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment or the whisk, or use a hand mixer. Add butter and extract to the bowl and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until mixture is very smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients, mixing only until they just disappear into the dough. Don't work the dough too much once the flour is incorporated.
   
   
3. Using a rubber spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size sealable plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9- x 10½-inch rectangle that's ¼-inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so that it doesn't cause creases. When the dough is the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the bag, flat, for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
   
   
4. When ready to bake the cookies, position racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Discard the bag. Turn the firm dough out onto the board and, using a ruler as a guide, use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 1½-inch squares. Transfer squares to baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the baking sheet.
   
   
5. Place baking sheets in the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 300° F. Bake shortbreads for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads should be set and only just tinged golden. Transfer cookies to racks to cool to room temperature.
   
   Makes about 32 cookies.