Simple and Sweet Shortbread
One of my favorite things to do, on an afternoon when we have just a few extra minutes, is to have teatime. There is something very calming about pouring a cup of tea and nibbling on a little treat while having a conversation. This practice always helps me to take time and refocus for the remainder of my day. When one of us is having a rough day, teatime is a great way to sit down with that person, talk with them about their day up to that point, and figure out how we can finish strong together.
In order to make room for teatime in our everyday schedule, what we serve needs to be able to be prepared in just a few minutes. What I love about these sweet little cookies is how the dough can be prepared ahead of time and frozen until we are ready to bake them, which only takes a few minutes. When I make these, I normally triple or quadruple the recipe and stock my freezer for spur of the moment treats! The flavors in these cookies are also easy to play with for whenever you are tired of chocolate and in need of a change up (like that would ever happen…). Some of my favorite add ins are dried edible lavender, lemon, lime, or orange zest. Get creative! Sometimes I even add cocoa powder to the cookie and dip it in a caramel sauce! You are only limited by your imagination.
Well, the kettle is whistling, my friend, so I must stop writing. I hope you enjoy. Pinkies up! ~ Caitlin
Simple and Sweet Shortbread
Serves 24
Time: 30 minutes
THM S
Recipe by The Humble Farmgirl
1 cup almond flour
1 cup THM Baking Blend or additional almond flour
1/2 cup grass-fed butter (quality butter makes the best shortbread)
3 Tbs. THM Super Sweet
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. mineral salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups stevia sweetened chocolate chips
garnish of choice (dried lavender, orange zest, fleur de sel, etc.)
Instructions:
In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat butter until creamy. Add all other ingredients except chocolate and garnish. Mix on medium speed until the dough comes together.
Place dough on a sheet of parchment. divide into two pieces and roll each piece into a log about 6-7 inches long. You could also square the edges if you like, as I did in the picture above. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove dough from freezer and cut slices 1/4’’ thick. You should end up with about 12 per log, but depending on the length of your log, you may get more. Place each cookie on the parchment lined sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and on the bottom. Keep a close eye on them, as they can bake rather quickly, and baking times may vary. Allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then very gently remove from the pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. When it is completely melted, dip each cookie, either half or all the way, in chocolate. Allow excess to drip off cookie and place on a pan lined with parchment paper. Decorate the cookies with your garnish of choice and place in the fridge or freezer to harden chocolate completely. Remove from parchment paper, transfer to a pretty plate and enjoy your beautiful creation!