Tender, Buttery Scotch Shortbread is Spiked with Warm Winter Spices. It's like a Chai Latte in Cookie Form!
Ingredients
11tablespoonsunsalted buttersoftened
1/2cuppowdered sugar
seeds from 4 cardamom pods
1star anise
1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
1/4teaspoonground allspice
pinchof white pepper
1 1/2cupsall purpose flour
a pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Remove the cardamom seeds from their papery husks and place in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, along with the star anise. Grind to a fine powder and discard any woody bits.
Add the mixture to the butter and sugar, along with the cinnamon, allspice, and white pepper. Stir to combine.
Fold in the flour and salt until well incorporated. The mixture will be grainy, similar to graham cracker crumbs.
Press into the bottom of a pie plate or small cast iron skillet. Score into 16 wedges and poke with a bamboo skewer.
Bake for 45 minutes or until firm in the center. Do not brown. Cool in the pan.
Recipe Notes
Recipe adapted from The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne