Easy pastry for any time of the day
This recipe is inspired by my Aunt Betsy's shortbread, which she used to bring over every time she visited our family for the weekend. The original recipe only calls for three ingredients, but I like to add a little cinnamon and substitute some of the white flour for whole wheat flour.
To start, preheat the oven to 325°F.
Combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Stir to incorporate.
Slice butter into small 1/2" cubes, then add to the mixing bowl. Mix by hand, or a stand mixer on the lowest speed.
Once the butter is thoroughly incorporated, pour the mixture into a pie dish, or an 8x8 inch baking pan (any rimmed baking dish will work). Using your hand or a spatula, press down until the shortbread "dough" is evenly compressed.
Place the baking dish in the oven, on the middle rack. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the surface of the shortbread is light brown. Remove the shortbread from the oven, then divide into squares immediately before it cools and gets too crumbly to divide.
Let shortbread cool for at least 10 minutes, then serve. They go great with coffee or tea, or if you need a mid-afternoon snack to tide you over before dinner.
