Saturday, October 30, 2021

Ghostly Shortbread Cookies # Recipe @PegCochran #Halloween

 


Do you believe in ghosts?  I have a friend who has a house in Massachusetts that was built in the early 1700s.  He swears it's haunted.  He said he hears noises at night--doors slamming, furniture moving.  I remember walking into one of the rooms in the house and there was this sudden chill...a ghost perhaps?  The spirit of some long ago resident?  Fortunately he believes his ghosts are friendly ghosts.

I usually make a mess of cookies that need to be cut out--they stick to the counter or to the cookie cutter or other calamities.  But this dough was very easy to work with.  The key was keeping it cold.  I liked that the recipe called for less sugar than other recipes.  Of course there's all that butter but that's what makes them taste so delicious!  In honor of Halloween, I got out my ghost cookie cutter (full disclosure: I ordered it from Amazon on Tuesday) and I brainstormed ways to make "eyes" on my little ghosts.  I had a bag of craisins so I cut them into smaller pieces and used those.  Dark raisins would also work or perhaps currants.  Even if you are afraid of ghosts, I think you'll like these!  Recipe courtesy of the American Pecan Council

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter   

1/2 cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Beat butter and sugar in a stand mixer on medium until light and fluffy.

 

In another bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until combined.

 

On low, slowly add the flour to the butter/sugar mixture.  After all the flour is incorporated, increase mixer speed and mix until the dough forms a ball.

 


 

 

Divide dough into two portions and form into discs.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

 

 


 

Roll out dough on a floured surface (keep other disc in the refrigerator until ready to use) approximately ¼ inch to ½ inch thick.  Cut out cookies and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.   Add craisins if using.

 


 

Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 18 to 20 minutes until golden around the edges.  Baking time will depend on your oven—my cookies took longer than 20 minutes so keep an eye on them.

 


 


 

 

Tip: After rolling dough and cutting out cookies, put the scraps back in the refrigerator while you work on the second disc.  Put the scraps from the second disc in the refrigerator while you roll out the scraps from the first disc.

 

 

COVER REVEAL!

COMING MARCH 1 - PRE-ORDER NOW!


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A murder in her quaint British bookshop drops American Gothic novelist Penelope Parish into her deadliest caper yet.

Penelope Parish is ready to close the book on her amateur sleuthing—from now on, The Open Book’s writer-in-residence will be sticking to villains of the fictional variety while she puts the final touches on her new novel. But when an author is murdered inside the bookshop, all of Upper Chumley-on-Stoke goes on high alert.
 
Now it’s up to Pen and the quirky citizens of Chumley to stop a killer and protect the charming British town she’s begun to call home.

 Book #1

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    Book #2


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4 comments:

  1. Manageable cookie dough? Brilliant!

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  2. I am always on the lookout for sugar cookie recipes, thanks!

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  3. These are cute cookies! I like the cookie dough recipe & am hoping it will be good to use with my Christmas pattern rolling pin. Thank you for sharing it. I have Murder in the Margins as my next TBR.\

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