1990 3rd Place: Shortbread Sheep
Submitted by AngelWinkfield
Award-winning shortbread with just butter, sugar, flour, and salt pressed into thick cutouts: crisp edges, melt-in-your-mouth crumb, adorable sheep shapes with chocolate eyes optional.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
25 minREADY
45 minThis third-place winner keeps shortbread pure and simple: cream butter and sugar until fluffy, knead in flour and salt, pat thick, and cut into shapes.
The recipe suggests making cardboard sheep templates for whimsical cutouts with chocolate chip eyes, but any cookie cutter works for these buttery rounds that brown perfectly at the edges.
Dough keeps refrigerated for days, so you can bake in batches whenever the shortbread craving hits.
Chef Tips
- Pat dough to a full half-inch thickness for proper tender-crisp texture
- Add flour gradually if dough feels sticky, but don’t overwork or shortbread becomes tough
- Space cookies two inches apart as they spread slightly during baking
Ingredients
Directions
Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in flour and salt.
Knead the dough briefly until smooth.
If dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
Dough can be refrigerated up to several days; soften slightly before shaping cookies.
Heat oven to 325℉ (160℃).
Have ungreased baking sheets ready.
Pat half of the dough out on lightly floured surface to ½ -inch.
Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes.
Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
Bake until light brown on edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool on wire racks.
A sheep pattern can be made out of cardboard and placed over dough; cut out the shape with a small knife.
If desired, a small piece of chocolate can be used for eyes after baking.
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