Simply Shortbread

Shortbread is a fantastic basic cookie and a great basic dough to play with the flavors in.  If you're a food watcher like I am, you've probably seen a bunch of new flavors emerging: Rosemary Pistachio, Lavender, Lemon Calendula, and other wild things.  There's nothing wrong with it, they're all tasty!  But I recommend walking before you run. (See the end of the recipe for the best ways to modify)

Looking for something that's really hard to mess up?  Shortbread.

Something to ship for the holidays (or a birthday. Or a "get well soon". Or just because someone really likes cookies.)?  Shortbread.

Like cookies, but don't want something too sweet?  Shortbread.

Basically, it's just the best cookie ever.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) of room temperature butter.*
1/2 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the better quality you can get, the tastier!)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but it's a definite bonus.  Try with and without to see what I mean)
2 cups flour

Directions:
Blend your butter and sugar together until creamy (easiest to use a hand or stand mixer, but a brave soul can do it with a whisk or a fork)  Add the extracts and blend again.  Add in flour** and blend well, making sure to get out any lumps.  Lumpy is not tasty!  Also: if you're using a mixer, be careful not to do this part on high when you first start or you will get flour EVERYWHERE.

For pretty flat cookies like the ones above, lay out a long piece of cling wrap (about the length of your forearm) and squish the dough into a log shape on it.  Try to get it as round as possible and squish your ends flat.  Then roll the log up in the plastic wrap (you can roll it on the counter at this stage if it's still not round enough for you) and stick it in the fridge for about an hour.

For "I don't care, I'm just going to eat it" cookies***, just stick your bowl in the fridge for about an hour with a plate or plastic wrap on top to keep the dough from drying out.

Preheat the oven to 350.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper^. 

If you're making the flat cookies, pull out the dough, unwrap (leave it sitting on the wrap: you just need to be able to cut it), and slice about 1/4 inch thick.  Place them on the pan with a little space between them.

For the "I don't care" cookies, scoop out about a tablespoon sized ball, roll or squish, and set them down with a little space in between.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned.  By the time they get dark or the rest of the cookie starts to brown they are burnt.  They will still give slightly if you gently touch the top of the cookie.

Let cookies cool completely on a rack before packaging or eat right away!

*Your butter should be soft when you poke it, almost like peanut butter.
**If you do decide to add in flavors, add dry "spice" flavors (any spices or flower flavors like cinnamon or lavender) when you add the flour and add "chunky" flavors after you've mixed all the dough together.
***These cookies crumble easier than the flat ones.  I wouldn't recommend them if you're going to try to ship them or try to transport them at all, though they're absolutely fine for eating!
^It has been my experience that cookie sheets that have that black grunge that older sheet have will burn the bottom of your cookies, even through the parchment paper.  Beware.