classic shortbread cookies

Before we get to the cookies {which are ah-mazing} I want to take a quick thank you for the great response I got from the survey I posted on Friday. I got tons of great feedback, and I'll be taking it all into consideration as I move forward with this blog. If you haven't provided feedback but would still like to, please do so here.

Onto the cookies... I don't have much to say except... you should just make these right now. Yep now. Stop whatever you're doing, cancel your plans for the evening, skip that trip to the gym, head to the grocery store, grab yourself some sugar, some butter, and some flour ... head home and prepare your taste buds for pure bliss.

These cookies are nostalgic for me. A dear friend and neighbor would make these classic Greek cookies in her home, wrap a few up and walk them over to our house to share. Within minutes they were gone.

This weekend I recreated these packages of pure dough heaven in my own kitchen alongside another lovely lady ... and it's really hard to say which cookies were better. Let's call it a tie and get back to baking cookies, shall we??

Here's what you'll need... 

4 sticks of butter (room temperature)

2 1/2 cups of confectioner's sugar (separated)

1 egg yolk (room temperature)

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 tablespoon brandy

5 cups all purpose flour

Here's what to do... 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together butter and half cup of confectioner's sugar in the bowl of a stand up mixer or a large bowl. Add vanilla extract, brandy and egg yolk and mix until combined. Slowly add flour half cup at a time, until all of the flour has been incorporated and dough forms. 

Take a heaping tablespoon of dough and work dough for a few seconds with your hands until dough is smooth. Roll into a ball and either flatten into a oval or form into crescent shape (depending on your preference). Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes or until cookies brown just slightly. 

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. Put remaining 2 cups of confectioner's sugar in a large bowl. Once cookies have cooled completely, gently toss cookies in sugar until they are coated completely.