Shortbread Refrigerator Slice Cookies

Here’s a recipe that I’ve been making for years. It’s from a little booklet from Robin Hood flour, published in 1997. The recipe I’m writing up below is double the original.

It’s so easy and you can put anything you want in the dough. I had some walnuts and glacé cherries but the original recipe calls for hazelnuts. I put nuts in the whole recipe, then, divided the dough and added cherries to some (more than half because I like the cherries).  You could also use chocolate chips, or nothing at all if you prefer them plain.

I made the dough last night and let it chill for 24 hours. Because it was nice and cold, it was easy to get perfect slices. Just be sure your knife isn’t dull or it may cause the dough to crumble as you cut. The number of cookies you get will depend on how skinny your log is and how thin or thick you cut your slices. My double batch gave me over 60 cookies.

Before and after baking. They don’t spread much. 

Shortbread Refrigerator Slice Cookies
Adapted from Robin Hood Flour
Makes over 60 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup corn starch
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped glacé cherries

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, corn starch, sugar and nuts.
2. Work the butter in by hand. I like to wear gloves whenever I’m mixing food with my hands. The dough will form a ball. Divide it in half and mix cherries into one side.
3. Roll into logs and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for several hours before slicing.
4. The slices will bake in a preheated 375F oven for 11 minutes. Set your timer for 8 minutes and see how it goes. The bottom edges will start to turn golden at some point. 11 minutes was perfect for mine.
5. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before storing in an airtight container.

Tips:

• These freeze well once baked. I have not tried freezing the uncooked dough but I imagine it would be fine.