Amazing Pecan Shortbread

I’ve been making this one for so long I can’t remember where I got the recipe from.  Probably Martha; she’s always good for Christmas cookies.

It’s easy, it’s delicious.  Need I say more?

What you need:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (no substitutions!)

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 drops almond extract

1 & 3/4 cup flour

pinch salt

1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans

What you do:

1.   Cream the butter, then beat in the sugar.  Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat until light in colour.

2.  Add flour, salt and pecans and mix with a wooden spoon until combined.

3.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.  (If you make the dough ahead of time you can refrigerate it, but make sure you take it out of the fridge about an hour before you want to roll it out or it will be rock hard!)

4.  Roll dough to about 3/4 of a centimetre thickness, on a floured table.  Use floured cookie cutters to cut shapes, then place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

5.  Sprinkle lightly with sugar, then bake at 325 F for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy, and impress your friends!