So you’re asking … what’s the trick? How do you make delicious cookies that don’t spread? Well the answer is pretty simple but it took me years to figure it out. Looking back I don’t know why it took me so long to search for this kind of recipe. But the trick to non-spread cookies is not looking for a sugar cookie recipe - but for a shortbread recipe which is what I am going to share with you today. The pros to using a shortbread recipe are endless. For starters it’s buttery, flakey, and of course they keep their shape in the oven.
A few things to note, frosting can take a long time and cookies also take some time to dry completely. If you were planning for your child's birthday party that falls on a Saturday I would personally bake the cookies on Tuesday. Frost my first layer on Wednesday. Frost my second layer/accents on Thursday. Let dry completely on Friday and serve on Saturday. Don't worry these cookies won't dry out.
You can freeze them for months as well.
So let’s get into the recipe!
{{recipe}}
I like to take all of my ingredients out and pre-measure them. It's never fun when you forget a key ingredient like baking powder. To make things easier I put all my dry ingredients in the same bowl.
Take your butter and sugar and begin to mix them on medium speed. Cold butter helps the cookies keep their shape, but it might take extra force from your mixer. So I like to make sure my butter is cold but not necessarily rock hard. Cream these together until well mixed. Do not overmix as the butter will begin to melt.
Take your eggs and add them in one at a time. Mix well. Scraping the sides of the bowl. Then add in your vanilla. If you want to play with different flavors, I know almond extract is a great choice.
Start adding in your dry ingredients little by little. You don't want to add them all in at once or you'll end up with a huge mess once you turn on the mixer.
As you get to the end of your dry ingredients you'll start to notice your machine begin to struggle. If you're unable to achieve a full ball of dough, transfer your dough to a working surface and need it by hand.
Once you have a perfect ball you can split your dough into two discs. Roll the dough to your desired thickness - about a quarter of an inch - and cut out your desired shapes.
This is an extra shape but you can freeze your cookies overnight, or even keep them in the fridge for a few hours before baking. I rarely do this step as they keep their shape pretty well. This is a good step if you're prepping your cookies in advance.
In a 350 degree oven bake your cookies for 13-14 minutes or until the edged begin to golden.
Cool your cookies completely before you frost. I usually frost my cookies on day 2!
.jpg)
