Description
Ina Garten’s ginger shortbread brings warmth and spice to classic Scottish treats with her signature elegant twist. Buttery, crumbly cookies offer rich ginger notes that melt in your mouth, inviting comfort and indulgence with each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ pound (340 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup minced crystallized ginger (dried, not in syrup)
Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Sugar (extra for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Prepare the butter and sugar mixture by beating them together in an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Incorporate the vanilla extract, stirring until fully integrated.
- In a separate mixing bowl, carefully sift together the flour and salt, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the butter blend, stirring gently until a cohesive dough forms. Delicately incorporate the minced crystallized ginger, distributing it evenly throughout the dough.
- Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Using a rolling pin, gently roll the dough to approximately 0.25 inches (6.35 millimeters) thickness, maintaining an even surface.
- Select a circular cookie cutter and press firmly to create uniform rounds. Transfer the cut cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Sprinkle a light layer of granulated sugar over the cookie surfaces, creating a delicate, sparkling finish.
- Position the baking sheet in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, watching for edges to turn a soft golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Notes
- Savor the golden edges that signal perfectly baked cookies, pulling them from the oven just as they transform from pale to lightly bronzed.
- Maintain consistent dough thickness by rolling to a precise 1/4 inch, guaranteeing uniform baking and delightful texture across every sweet morsel.
- Refrigerate the dough for 15-20 minutes when it feels too soft, allowing it to firm up and become more manageable for rolling and cutting.
- Gently spoon flour into measuring cups and sweep with a knife’s straight edge, preventing dense cookies by avoiding compacted or excess flour.
- Soften butter to room temperature, enabling smooth blending with sugar and creating a luxuriously creamy cookie dough that promises delectable results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 197
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg