Meltaway Shortbread

The name says it all. These shortbread cookies dissolve on your tongue. Butter and shortening creamed with flour, sugar, and flaked coconut form a rich, sandy dough that bakes into something so tender it barely holds together.

Using both butter and shortening is the secret to the “meltaway” texture. Butter provides flavor. Shortening provides tenderness and a crumbly snap that butter alone can’t achieve. Together they create a cookie that shatters at the first bite.

The coconut adds a subtle tropical sweetness and a faint chew against the otherwise delicate crumb.

Shape into two logs, chill for at least 2 hours, slice ¼ inch thick, and bake until barely golden. These should be pale, not brown. Overbaking turns the tender texture into something hard and crunchy.

A dip in powdered sugar while still slightly warm gives each cookie a sweet, snowy coating.

Kitchen Tips

• Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar thoroughly. The more air you incorporate, the lighter the finished cookie.
• Chill the logs until very firm. Soft dough crumbles when sliced instead of cutting into clean rounds.
• Pull from the oven when only very lightly browned around the edges. These continue setting as they cool.
• Handle gently after baking. They’re fragile and break easily.

Variations

• Almond meltaways: Replace coconut with finely ground almonds and add almond extract.
• Lemon shortbread: Add lemon zest to the dough and roll the finished cookies in lemon-flavored powdered sugar.