Coffee House Shortbread Cookies

 by Gretchen Jameson

Brown sugar and spices make these shortbread cookies a unique coffee treat. Yum!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions

1. Mix flour, cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.

2. Beat butter for 30 seconds. Add the brown sugar. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl (to really cream sugar and butter, beat for 4-7 minutes). Beat in as much of the flour as you can with mixer (do not over mix). Stir in any remaining flour mixture. If necessary, chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.

3. Shape dough into 10-inch-long roll. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper, chill in refigerator at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours or until firm enough to slice.

4. With a serated knife, cut roll into 1/4 to 1/2 inch-thick slices. Place slices 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Reshape roll as necessary. Sprinkle slices with some of the 2/3 cup granulated sugar. Bake cookies in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes for the 1/4-inch thick cookies or 12 to 14 minutes for the 1/2-inch cookies or until bottom just starts to brown.

5. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks, cool. If you like, wrap cookies in pairs, back-to-back, or individually with plastic wrap.

Makes thirty-five 1/4-inch cookies or twenty 1/2-inch cookies.

Nutrition Information (thinner cookies): 101 calories, 5 g fat, 13 g carbs, 1 g protein