Shortbread Cookie Boxes
My family loves cookies. When I make cookies, I either make a lot of them, or expect them to be gone quickly. I don’t even own a cookie jar, cookies don’t stay around long enough to need one! Cookies are also a perfect thing to give away as gifts. A thank you to a neighbor who collected your mail while you were gone could be as simple as a box of yummy shortbread cookies. A box of these fabulous cookies is also a perfect favor to give away at a wedding.
You can sprinkle the cookies with coconut, or with my kid’s favorite, demerara sugar crystals (also called turbinado). If you want, you can color the sugar crystals to match your wedding or party colors. Package them in decorative boxes and voila, you have an amazingly fabulous and easy favor that people will remember.
Coconut Shortbread Cookies
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 lb butter at room temperature
2 c. flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 c. coconut, chopped fine
Whip the butter and powdered sugar together until fluffy. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Then, on low speed, gradually add it to the butter mixture just until blended. Pat into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until it has firmed up slightly. On a floured board, roll the disk out to 1.4″ thick and cut into 2″ shapes. Spray lightly with water, then sprinkle coconut on top. Bake at 350 on an ungreased cookie sheet for about 8 minutes. Watch the cookies carefully, and remove when the edges just begin to turn brown. Makes about 36 cookies.
Jill Moss works at an elementary school library in Gresham, Oregon where she combines her love of kids, books, and reading. She spends the rest of her time raising her husband, four kids, three chickens, two bunnies, and one cat.
