Cherry Pecan Shortbread Rounds Recipes

CHERRY PECAN SLICED SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and salt. Mix well. Stir in the flour until well blended. Stir in cherries and pecans.
• Chill dough in refrigerator for 1 hour, or until easy to handle. Shape dough into three 10-inch logs.
• Wrap each log in plastic wrap or parchment paper , then place in a freezer bag. (I put my wrapped dough logs in cardboard paper towel tubes before placing them in freezer bags). Freeze up to 2 months or until ready to bake.
• To bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut frozen logs into 1/4-in. slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks.

SHORTBREAD WEDGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper leaving enough overhang around the sides to easily lift shortbread out. (Tip: Parchment is used so you can easily remove the shortbread and not cut it while it's in the pan. I like to use a square of parchment and I cut a 1-inch slit in the center of each side. This helps reduce the amount of creases when lined in the pan.)
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as necessary. Add the flour and cornstarch and beat on low speed for 1 minute as the mixture begins to combine. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and beat for 1-3 minutes or until the dough clumps together. (It will eventually, just keep mixing it.) If you're adding dry add-ins (see above), this is when you'll add them.
• Divide dough in half. If you want to be totally accurate, weigh the halves to make sure they're even. Recipe makes almost 1.5 lbs of plain dough (will weigh more if you added add-ins). Press each half of dough into a prepared cake pan. You want it nice and compact in the pans. Sprinkle with optional coarse sugar. Dock the surface all over with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
• Bake the shortbread for 28-30 minutes or until very lightly browned on top and around the edges.
• Remove from the oven, place pans on a wire rack, and cool shortbread for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the shortbread from the pans by picking it up with the parchment paper on the sides. Cut each into 8 large, 12 medium, or 16 small wedges. You want to make sure you cut the shortbread while it's still warm. Enjoy warm or cool shortbread completely on wire racks.
• Cover and store shortbread at room temperature for up to 1 week. If you added a topping such as glaze, icing, buttercream, or melted chocolate, refrigerate after 2 days.

CHERRY PECAN SHORTBREAD ROUNDS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine flour and salt, set aside.
• Cream 1 cup unsalted softened butter with 1/2 cup powdered sugar, add in vanilla.
• Add flour mixture and combine until it starts forming large clumps.
• Mix in pecans and maraschino cherries. Before removing from bowl, press dough together well so it's no longer crumbly.
• On a piece of plastic wrap, form dough into the log and press it well. The log should be about 2 inches thick.
• Wrap it in the plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 325 F and line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Cut the log into 1/4-inch thick slices. If the slices crumble, press it back together with your hands. Place them onto baking sheet at least 1-inch apart.
• Bake the cookies 15 - 18 minutes, until they just start to turn golden brown on top and around the edges.
• Let them cool for 3 minutes on a baking sheet before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

CHERRY SHORTBREAD HEARTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sift the icing sugar, flour and cornflour together into a bowl. Stir in the ground almonds and butter, then rub in the butter until smooth. Stir in the chopped glacé cherries and almond extract, and bring together to form a dough.
• Roll out on a lightly floured surface, then stamp out biscuits using a heartshaped cutter. Keep re-rolling the trimmings until all the dough is used. Carefully transfer the biscuits to baking trays lined with parchment and bake for just 8-10 mins until just pale golden.
• Using an upturned bottle top or similar, press gently into the centre of each biscuit to make a round indent. Spoon in a little jam and return to the oven for 2 mins. Remove and cool on a wire rack, before dusting with icing sugar to serve.

LIME SHORTBREAD WITH DRIED CHERRIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until blended. Beat in lime zest and extracts. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in cherries., Divide dough in half; shape each into a 7-in.-long roll. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 3-4 hours or until firm. , Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Freeze option: Place wrapped logs in resealable plastic freezer bag; freeze. To use, unwrap frozen logs and cut into slices. If necessary, let dough stand a few minutes at room temperature before cutting. Bake as directed.

PECAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Put butter, sugar, vanilla and cardamom in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.
• Carefully add flour and pecans, and mix a few minutes more, at low speed at first, then medium, until dough comes together. Remove dough and knead for 1 minute. Press dough into a 9-inch square cake pan. (Alternatively, press into a 9-inch fluted French tart pan with a removable bottom.)
• Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares, bars or wedges with a serrated knife while still slightly warm. Store in a tin until needed. To serve, arrange on a plate and dust with confectioners' sugar.

CHERRY SNOWBALL COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy; gradually add flour and mix well. , Shape a tablespoonful of dough around each cherry, forming a ball. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets., Bake at 325° for 18-20 minutes or until the bottoms are browned. Roll warm cookies in confectioners' sugar. Cool on wire racks.