Scrumptious Shortbread Cookies

Buttery, rich, and delicious: I love shortbread cookies!  Storebought shortbread cookies are one of my favorite compromise foods but I wanted to try my hand at making some from scratch. These cookies are fantastic, and really put the storebought competition to shame. Because there are only a few ingredients, this recipe is very simple and easy to make.

These cookies are made with Einkorn flour, which is an ancient variety of wheat that is naturally lower in gluten and higher in protein than modern wheat.  I use white Einkorn flour, since when consumed in moderation, white flours can be a healthy part of the diet. (Did you know that, in traditional cultures, much of the bran and germ was actually discarded after the whole grains were ground into flour?) The nutrient-content of these shortbread cookies is increased through the use of nutrient-dense butter and sucanat; nonetheless I consider these to be a compromise food that is fine when consumed in moderation.

Scrumptious Shortbread Cookies
Makes about 20 cookies

• 1 cup nutrient-dense butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sucanat
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, preferably organic or homemade 
• 2&1/4 cups Einkorn flour*
• 1/2 tsp fine-ground celtic sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream together the butter and sucanat using a mixer or stand-mixer, until a bit fluffy and slightly lighter in color. (I love to use my Kitchen-Aid stand mixer anytime I am making cookies.) 
3. Mix in the vanilla extract. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to get everything incorporated well.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
5. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well-mixed.  
6. Scoop the cookies onto greased cookie sheets (or line the cookie sheets with silpats, which are wonderful since the cookies never stick and are less likely to burn).  I like to use a 1-Tb scoop for consistently pretty cookies, but you could just use a spoon.
7. Use the back of a fork to flatten the cookies a bit.
8. Bake for ~15-20 minutes, until the edges are a nice golden-brown color. If you are baking more than one cookie sheet at a time, you may need to swap the position of the cookie sheets for the last ~8 minutes to achieve even cooking of both sheets. 
9. Allow to cool and serve!  I store these cookies in an airtight container on the counter if they will be consumed within a few days. Otherwise, into the fridge or freezer they go, but they will lose some of their crispiness.

*While I do prefer to use Einkorn flour, the typical all-purpose flour (preferably organic and unbleached) could be substituted in a pinch.

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