Shortbread Cookies

I made 60 of these cookies last week for someone else, but I did a little test run first and these cookies just melt in the mouth - they are so yummy. It is worth all the chilling in between because it makes the dough wonderfully short and crumbly.

2 cups plain flour

1 cup salted butter at room temperature

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract



Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth, then add the sugar and beat again until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract.
Gently stir in the flour
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.
On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes with a floured cutter.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This will firm up the dough again so the cookies will keep their shape when cooking. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly brown. Cool on rack. Makes about 20 cookies.