Citrus Shortbread Cookies

Buttery...crumbly...light...amazing! These shortbread cookies are sooo good.

With Easter fast approaching I thought a light citrus cookie would be perfect.  These are exceptionally light from the cornstarch and confectioners' sugar in the dough. They melt in your mouth!

The recipe came from a book titled, " Baking at Home with The Culinary Institute of America". It's a wonderful book with lots of great photos and tips for baking.

I chose to make them into cut out cookies but you could also make the shortbread in a prepared mold. Hope you'll give these a try. You will love them.

You'll need zest from an orange and a lemon.

Because I cut out the cookies, I rolled out the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and refridgerated it for about 30 minutes to let it get nice and cold and easier to cut out the shapes.

Then cut out what ever shapes you want...

And place them on a cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.

Citrus Shortbread Cookies ( from Baking at Home, With The Culinary Institute of America").
Makes about 4 dozen 2" cookies

2 cups AP flour (9 oz.)
1 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups(3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tbsp. grated orange zest
1 tbsp. grated lemon zest
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The book says to lightly spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment but I found just a light sprinkle of sugar on the sheet was enough to keep them from sticking.

1. Sift the flour, cornstarch and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed til light in texture and smooth, 2 minutes.
3. Add confectioners' sugar and the orange and lemon zests: cream til light and smooth, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed, about 2 minutes.
4. On low speed, mix in the sifted dry ingredients til just blended. Scrape down the bowl as needed during creaming and mixing to blend evenly.
5. Place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a disc, then cover with another piece of wrap and roll out the dough to 1/4" thickness.
6. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or til firm enough to cut out shapes.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 and take the dough out of the fridge and cut out the shapes, placing on the prepared cookie sheet. Reroll any scraps.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes or til the edges are light brown. ( I always check the bottom of one to be sure they're a light golden brown. I like them a little crunchy). They harden as they cool.
Store in a tin.