5 italian shortbread recipes

Pflaumenkuchen: traditional German plum cake on a buttery shortbread base with quartered Italian prune plums and peach jam glaze. Late summer pastry heaven.

Italian ricotta cheesecake with candied orange and lemon peel, golden raisins, and a splash of amaretto in a shortbread crust. Lighter and less sweet than American cream cheese cheesecake, dense in a softer way.

Savory onion shortbread with cornmeal, Italian herb seasoning, and golden sauteed onions on top. A layered cornbread loaf with herbs baked through and caramelized onions crowning the top.

Sesame seed cookies are an Italian-American holiday classic with a tender shortbread-like dough rolled in toasted sesame seeds before baking. Massive batch (240 cookies) for cookie tins.

Buttery Italian-style shortbread cookies made with powdered sugar, vanilla, and three-quarters of a pound of real butter. Chill the dough, roll it out, cut your favorite shapes, and bake until golden.