I adore the idea of making festive cutout cookies during the holidays – but traditional sugar cookies are just too sweet for me, and we don’t like icing on our cookies either. Since I’m a big fan of buttery shortbread, I figured – why not try shortbread cutouts instead? I asked Claude (my AI assistant buddy) to help develop a recipe that would hold its shape well but have that rich, not-too-sweet shortbread taste.  🎄

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 2/3 cup (80g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth (about 1 minute). Add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
3. Gradually mix in the flour mixture on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix.
4. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight. This step is crucial for clean cutouts.
5. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350°F.
6. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll dough between two pieces of parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness. This prevents sticking without adding extra flour.
8. Cut into desired shapes and place on prepared baking sheets.
9. Chill cut cookies for 10 minutes before baking.
10. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until edges are just barely starting to turn golden.
11. Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Key tips for success:

• Keep the dough cold at all times
• Don’t skip the chilling steps
• Re-roll scraps only once for the most tender cookies
• Let the cookies cool completely before decorating