Stamped Shortbread Cookies (recipe 4)

Stamped Shortbread Cookies - made March 26, 2021, modified from Lord Byron's Kitchen

So I might be just a tad obsessed with mooncake molds now. Especially since I found a set that included two Hello Kitty designs. Yes, I'm an adult and no, I'm not stunted in my emotional growth (most of the time). But they're still cute....

And let's face it, it's fun to stamp out the designs. Even if it does look like I've jumped the shark with these (youngsters, for reference, google "Happy Days, the Fonz and shark").

I mean, cute, right??

This kept the designs decently well after baking, although this is another of those recipes that probably don't do as well with more detailed designs.

From a taste perspective, this was a good butter shortbread. Not too sweet, a bit buttery (obvi) and rich but will do well with smaller stamps since you don't want the cookies to be too big. 

But as with all stamped cookies, you get the best results if you stamp the dough when it's slightly chilled (but not too firm or the stamps won't make good impressions), freeze the stamped cookies first before baking then baking the frozen cookies at high heat

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1. Cream butter and confectioners' sugar together until combined. Add flour in 2 additions, mixing briefly until just combined after each addition. Dough will look dry at first but slowly keep beating until dough comes together. Do not overmix.
2. Scrape dough onto piece of parchment, cover with another piece of parchment and roll out to desired thickness.
3. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least one hour.
4. Stamp chilled dough with cookie stamps and/or embossed rolling pin and cut out into desired shapes. Cover and chill again another 15 - 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Evenly space stamped cookies on baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven, let cookies rest for 2-3 minutes on baking sheet then remove to wire cooling rack to cool completely.