if i had to name my favorite cookie it would have to be ~ hands down ~ shortbread. it's easy to make, is the perfect texture, can be flavored with anything and is loaded down with butter; i mean....hellllohhhh!!! and lately, i've been wanting to sink my teeth in to one of these gorgeous little morsels and i was really wanting the flavors of chocolate and cinnamon on my tongue, so.... i prowled around on pinterest for recipes and came up with a basic recipe that worked out well. one thing to note, flour to butter ratio for shortbread is 1:1. too much butter and your cookies will spread like crazy which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just not a shortbread thing. so if, like me, you decide to experiment with adding more butter than needed, don't be disappointed - the resulting crispy, buttery wafers are perfect for ice cream sandwiches and everyone who eats them will think you're a genius! it's true.
Salted Chocolate Cinnamon Shortbread
loosely adapted from ovenhaven of epicurean escapism
2 cups unbleached flour (plus more for your work surface)
1⁄2 cup raw cocoa powder
3/4 cup raw cane sugar
2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
1⁄2 tsp coarse ground pink salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
zest from one medium-sized orange
raw turbinado sugar and coarse ground pink salt for sprinkling
- Preheat oven to 300°
- Cream together butter, sugar, salt, cinnamon and orange zest.
- Add the flour and cocoa powder on low speed until combined and the dough holds together.
- Put the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, form it into a ball, and slightly flatten.
- Coat both sides of the dough with flour and roll it out to about 1⁄2-inch thickness. Cut the dough into desired shapes. Generously sprinkle the surface with raw sugar and coarse salt.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
and, oh my goodness, eat a couple of these babies before everyone else gets to them. salty, sweet and just the right amount of chocolatey deliciousness. plus...your house will smell amazing when they're baking!
