New Traditions and a Simple Shortbread Cookie Recipe #GayleaMom

I have been baking for much of my life. As a child I loved to help bake with my Mom and my Grandma too. And, as a teenager I really enjoyed crafting and sewing, reading and cooking up something random. Betty Crocker’s cookbook and I were well acquainted. In fact, I still make a scrumptious jelly roll. Oddly though, I can’t recall ever having made shortbread cookies. Not once, until now. I recall having this perception that shortbread was hard to make, so we didn’t make it. This year is all about new traditions.We moved to a new house in February and I finally have my dream kitchen. This will be our first Christmas here in this welcoming space. I look forward to building some new traditions. Like choosing where to place the tree, and decorating and tricking the house out with new lights and creating a lovely mantel. And making this super simple shortbread recipe.
Some of you already know my kids love to cook and bake. There’s a lot to be said for cooking with children. They get value from the reading and the math and they take ownership of their meals and their eating when they are contributing to the dish itself. My girls also get sensory feedback from the baking, stirring, egg cracking and measuring. So, this is like my secret weapon when I want to calm one down, or help her ground herself and focus. Let’s just say that right now there is a lot of need for that around here. I am a Gay Lea ambassador this year and next year and I will be using Gay Lea products in a few recipes as the year goes on. As Christmas and holiday baking season is upon us, Gay Lea butter lends itself naturally to a lot of baking recipes. This simple shortbread recipe made with Gay Lea butter is an outrageously good melt in your mouth new tradition. Gay Lea uses only pure and preservative-free cream from 100% Canadian milk produced by Gay Lea’s 1,200 local dairy farmers. Gay Lea butter is made only with cream, that’s one simple ingredient.
Can you believe this old hand blender? My gosh. I think I need something heavy duty finally. Maybe I will ask Santa for an actual KitchenAid mixer this year. Beating the butter with this old thing was challenging and took forever. That part wasn’t simple because my kitchen mixing technology is outdated.

Kneading the cookie dough is probably the best part of the entire experience for my kids. Cutting out various shapes also makes them happy.
There are so many amazing shortbread cookie recipes on the Gay Lea web site. Did you know you can visit the site for great recipes that can be made with their products. This particular recipe made with Gay Lea butter is amazing. Check their site out for incredible recipes you can make together. Maybe you will start some new traditions this year too! You can also follow Gay Lea on twitter. https://twitter.com/GayLeaFoodsCoop
Have you made shortbread cookies before? Do you have a Christmas cookie recipe you love?

Simple Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 mls of softened Gay Lea unsalted butter
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Beat the melted butter until soft.
- Fold in sugar slowly.
- Fold in the flour.
- Add cornstarch and salt and vanilla
- Keep beating.
- Move the dough to cutting board dusted in flour.
- Divide the kneaded balls of dough into 4 or 5 sections and place in your fridge for one hour maximum. (We initially left ours too long. Don't do that.)
- Making sure that your cutting board is constantly coated in flour you can roll the dough balls out individually (kids do this very well) and begin to cut into shapes. Re - coat the cutting board periodically with flour and place on your hands as well to keep dough from sticking.
- Careful not to over flour the dough or the shortbread will be dry.
- Place the cut cookie shapes onto a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
- You can line the sheet with parchment paper and they won't stick.
- Let each batch cool a bit and enjoy. You can decorate these or make them fancier, but the taste here is so good they don't really need anything more.
I am part of the Gay Lea Ambassador Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with Gay Lea.

18 Comments
Robin (Masshole Mommy)
Those sound delicious. They’re perfect to bring with me to the Christmas party I was invited to next weekend 🙂
paula schuck
Thanks Robin – they really are good. Plus nothing screams Christmas like shortbread cookies.
LifeAsAConvert
I don’t really have a favorite cookie recipe as I am always trying new ones, but I do have a few basics I always stick to (peanut butter, chocolate chip, etc). I have never made shortbread cookies before.
Jaime
Shortbread cookies are one of my favorites! Also, I have a Kitchenaid mixer. I highly recommend it. 😉
Amanda Love
My toddler loves baking as well and so does my oldest daughter. I only bake when the urge takes over or someone wants cookies for school. 🙂
Tough Cookie Mommy
I love shortbread cookies and this recipe is perfect for the holidays. They kids will go crazy over it.
Shannon Gosney
I have such good memories of baking with my mom. I would like to start baking more with my kids too.
Jennifer Williams
Shortbread cookies are my favorite and yet I have never made them. I am definitely going to be trying this recipe!
coolchillmom
I can’t wait to make this with the kids. Perfect cookies for Santa if you ask me
Lois Alter Mark
I love shortbread cookies. I wish I could reach through the computer and grab a handful of those right now!
Aisha Kristine Chong
I would so want to try this one out!
Sarah Bailey
Do you know I love shortbread but I have never made it myself before, it is definitely something I think I need to try!
Melissa Smith
I love a good shortbread cookie any time of the year! But they are so good with a bit of apple pie filling, ice cream & caramel for my Ultimate Holiday Sundaes I make every year. I may have to make them a bit early now, LOL.
Angela
You are creating some priceless memories in the kitchen together! Shortbread cookies are one of my faves. Yum!
Amber NElson
Yum, I love shortbread cookies. Those look like fun to make too
Melanie
Yummy! They look great, and my kids would really like them too. Always love shortbread cookies in milk
Onica {MommyFactor}
What a great treat to make during the holidays. Making cookies with family is always a nice activity.
Krystal's Kitsch
I’ve never made shortbread before! Looks like a perfect recipe!