Shortbread Cookies (No Eggs) Dough

 The shortbread cookies contain no eggs, and can be rolled and cut in any shape.

KC Instructions:

1. Combine butter (soft, not melt) and sugar (Creaming Method) at low speed (2 increasing to 5) with paddle. At this point vanilla or other liquid flavours can be added.
2. Mix well scrapping the bowl often until soft, a bit shiny and there are no lumps of fat (5"-6")
3. Add flour at once and mix at sp 1 for 20-30 seconds. Dough should be crumbly but homogenous
4. Dust the table with AP and drop the dough
5. Knead until dough comes together in a single ball, dusting as necessary but avoiding adding too much flour
6. Flatten the dough (~2cm), wrap in plastic and reserve in the fridge for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight

VG Instructions

1. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla until well combined and soft
2. Add half of the flour at low speed. Mix for 20-30 seconds
3. Add the second half and increase speed a bit for 5 seconds
4. Dust table and drop the dough
5. Knead until it forms a ball
6. Flatten it, wrap it in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes

Tips and Notes

• Warm the bowl the whole time if needed, but be careful not to melt/burn the butter
• Try not to add air to the dough (mix at low/medium speed with paddle, no whisk)
• Scrap the bowl often
• Flattening the dough before it goes to the fridge ensures a quick chill and even warm up
• All ingredients at RT, specially butter
• Avoid overmixing after adding the flour to prevent log gluten strands
• Prepare table and wrap film during mix
• No need to sift flour as there are no more dry ingredients
• Dry inclusions (cocoa, nuts, etc) can replace up to 15% of flour. For cinnamon, don't replace more than 2%.
• the high fat content makes for a crispy cookie
• Refrigerate for 3-4 days for better flavour

Official Instructions: (CREAMING METHOD)

1. Pre set oven at 350F / 117C
2. Cream together icing sugar, salt, vanilla and butter until white light and fluffy. Use globe mixer and  whisk at medium speed. (if making coffee flavour add 75g coffee extract at this point)
3. Change to paddle attachment. 
4. Add flour and mix until just blended, wrap up about 1-inch depth square, chill for 20-30 mins before rolling.
5. Roll out discs 6mm (1/4 inch.) thick, brush with water and sprinkle granulated sugar on top, double sheet pan lined with parchment paper, bake at 350F/177C for 12-15mins until golden.
6. Store at room temperature for service.

PS. If you are planing to decorate with royal icing (Flooding technique) do not brush with water and sprinkle with granulated sugar.Leave as is.

INGREDIENTS:

Unsalted butter (Soft) 100.0% 383 g

Icing sugar 33% 127 g

Bread Flour 100% 383 g

Salt 0.4% 2 g

Vanilla extract 3.0% 11 g