This shortcrust pastry is the ideal base for creating fragrant and crumbly cookies, perfect for any occasion. Not just for Christmas, but you can customize them for birthdays, parties, or any special event. You can decorate them with fondant, add a layer of jam, cover them with chocolate, or sprinkle them with cocoa. With a few ingredients and a simple procedure, you will get cookies that maintain their shape and captivate with their delicate flavor.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup butter (cold, diced)
- 3 1/2 oz powdered sugar
- 1 egg (medium at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanillin)
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 2 Baking trays
- 2 Parchment paper
- 1 Cookie cutters
Steps
In a large bowl, combine the flour, the butter diced and cold, the powdered sugar, the egg, and the vanilla extract or vanillin.
Work the ingredients with your hands, rubbing them between your fingers, until you obtain a homogeneous mixture without butter lumps. The butter must be completely incorporated into the dough, disappearing completely. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer to prevent the dough from warming up with the heat of your hands. The colder the dough remains, the better.Form a dough ball, flatten it slightly, and wrap it in parchment paper. Place the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour.
After the resting time, divide the dough ball in half, keeping one part in the refrigerator while working with the other.
Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until it reaches a thickness of 1/4 inch.
Using a cookie cutter, cut out shapes (I insert the cookie cutters I purchased, click here –> Cookie cutters *Affiliate link) and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Use the cutter by dipping it into unsweetened cocoa powder and pressing it onto the cookie to apply the design.
After remixing and flattening the leftover dough, place them back in the refrigerator to chill before reusing. Repeat the same procedure with the second half of the dough, always alternating chilling to maintain the right consistency.
Once the first tray is filled, place it in the refrigerator for at least fifteen minutes, so the butter solidifies and the cookies maintain their shape while baking.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take the cookies out of the fridge and put them in the oven. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, ensuring they are golden underneath but not on top.
Once out of the oven, the cookies will be very soft and fragile, so let them cool completely on the tray before handling them to avoid breaking.
Did you like this recipe? Share it with your friends and let me know in the comments how your cookies turned out!
With the same dough and the addition of fondant, I also made these cookies for my son’s Paw Patrol-themed birthday.
Customize your cookies!
Chocolate lovers: dip half of the cookie in melted dark chocolate and let dry on parchment paper.
Jam-filled: pair two cookies with a thin layer of jam.
Snow effect: a sprinkle of powdered sugar will make them irresistible!
FAQ – Perfect Shortcrust Pastry for Cookies
Can I prepare the dough in advance?
Yes! The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours or can be frozen for a maximum of 3 months.
Why do my cookies deform during baking?
Probably the dough wasn’t cold enough. Make sure to chill the cookies in the fridge before baking.
Can I replace butter with oil?
Better not, as butter gives structure and crumbliness to the dough
