Ina Garten’s Cinnamon-Spiced Shortbread
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Ina Garten may be the queen of roast chicken, but don’t forget she’s also a stellar baker. This recipe for cinnamon-spiced shortbread (from her new cookbook, Go-To Dinners) is Barefoot Contessa to a T: It’s beginner-friendly, yields sweet, butter cookies and comes together with just ten ingredients.
“I love shortbread in any form,” Garten writes, “but this one with cinnamon and ‘apple pie’ spices is extra special. The basic shortbread dough was inspired by my friend Eli Zabar, of EAT in New York City. Not only are these cookies delicious but the house smells wonderful when you make them!”
Quick, someone go preheat the oven.
Go-To Dinners Copyright © 2022 by Ina Garten. Photographs copyright © 2022 by Quentin Bacon. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.
Ingredients
Cookies
3 sticks (¾ pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
Sugar Coating
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Make the Cookies: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, the 1 cup sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon warm water on low speed until they are just combined (don’t whip it!). In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, the 2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1 teaspoon salt.
3. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until the dough comes together in large clumps. Transfer to a floured surface and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for just 30 minutes.
4. On a floured cutting board, roll the dough ½ inch thick and cut with a large (3½-inch) star cutter (or any other shape you like). Place the cookies one inch apart on the prepared baking sheets and bake until the edges just begin to brown, 20 to 22 minutes.
5. Make the Sugar Coating: Meanwhile, combine the ½ cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a medium bowl. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, sprinkle them thickly with the sugar mixture and cool on the baking sheets. When the cookies are cool, shake off the excess sugar mixture and serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: To make the cookies ahead, prepare the dough and cut out the cookies, then refrigerate or freeze in containers. Bake and sprinkle with the sugar mixture before serving.Wrap the baked cookies and store at room temperature for several days.
252 calories
14g fat
30g carbs
2g protein
13g sugars
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Note: The information shown is Edamam's estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.