Melt in the Mouth Shortbread Stamped Cookies

Shortbread Stamped Cookies Recipe

These shortbread stamped cookies are buttery and with a soft crumb that almost melt in the mouth. They are simple and easy to make so they are great when you need an afternoon tea cookie or if you want to gift them as festive treats.

Growing up I use to call these Christmas Cookies!! Why?

Well, my mom only made them during Christmas time.  The best part? She made tons of these. Mom use to sell little Christmas hampers with different goodies in them like these Shortbread Stamped Cookies, 3 minute Dark Chocolate Fudge, Coconut Macaroons, Linzer Cookies, Marzipan/Almond Fruits… ah the lists goes on.. Now you know why I have a sweet tooth; don’t you?

I loved helping mom with making such treats and she loved having a little help from me and my sister. Being a single mom was really hard but she made it look so easy and effortless.

Back then mom had a few treasured Christmas designs stamp cookie cutters but now a days we are spoiled for choice. If I ever see a stamp cookie cutter – I’m buying it! I have quite a few collected, still a few unused. I have a thing for collecting these.

About this recipe

This is the best shortbread cookie recipe you will ever get!! I use it as a base (with few variations) for some other cookies too! like my Classic Linzer Cookies as well as my Almond Linzer Cookies, Valentine Pink Heart Cookies (which I still have to share).  The recipe is derived from my butter cookie recipe and my very popular Classic Vanilla Sugar Cookie recipe. Just the perfect balance where  you have a cookie that holds it’s shape so perfectly and yet crumbles in the mouth the instant you bit into it. I love that !

Let’s talk ingredients

• Cornflour – This is what gives these cookies that crumble in the mouth texture. If you must omit cornstarch I’d say add some rice flour.  You can add all purpose flour but the cornflour and rice flour add a nice crispiness.
• Unsalted Butter – I always use unsalted butter in my baking but if you have to use salted – go ahead just omit the salt in the recipe.
• Vanilla Extract – I do use vanilla in this recipe but as you will see in my Classic Linzer Cookies I use the same base recipe but with rose extract. You are welcome to try. If you love the scent of sweet roses then you will truly welcome the flavor. If your not sure…. stick with the vanilla extract.

A few tips when working with Stamp cookies 

• Don’t roll the cookies too thin. Keep them thick so that when you impress the pattern the design has something to sink into. Often you get stamp cookies that are almost faded away because the design is lost on a thin cookie while baking. It’s better to gift one pretty cookie then two washed out cookies.
• Chill the cookies before you bake them. This is a good practice in general with most cookies. Chilling the cookies gets the better to firm making them spread less.
• Bake them at a temperature not too high but not too low either. Low temperature will force them to spread while high temperature will bake them crisp making them hard the next day. For these I find 170 C / 340 F just right. In general it’s best to keep a close eye on the first tray and adjust temperature accordingly. Ideally these cookies should bake no later than 10 mins but no earlier than 8 mins either.

Recipe – Shortbread Stamped Cookies 

Tools 

• K-Mix or Kitchen AidKitchen Aid
• Spatula
• Mixing Bowls
• Cookie Sheets
• Parchment Paper
• Stamp Cookie Cutters

• All Purpose Flour – 330 grams (3 cups)
• Cornflour  – 30 grams ( 1/4 cup)
• Unsalted Butter  – 228 grams (1 cup or 2 sticks)
• Sugar – 150 grams  ( 3/4 cup)
• Confectioners Sugar  – 60 grams / 1/2 cup
• Vanilla essence  – 1 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Eggs -1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk
• Baking powder – 1/2 tsp

Method

• Swift or mix the baking powder and salt with the flour
• Combine the flour, cornflour together.

Prepare Dough

• Cream butter, sugar and confectioners sugar  until light and fluffy.
• Add the egg and egg yolk
• Then add the rose essence and vanilla.
• Next add  in the flour
• The dough will be soft.

Divide Dough and chill

• Divide into two disc and wrap in cling / plastic wrap,
• Refrigerate for at least two  hour or until cold enough to roll
• Work with one disc at a time while the second is chilling

Prepare for rolling

• Roll the first disc to a little more than 1/4 inch in thickness on a lightly floured surface.
• Use the stamps and cut cookies as directed – (see note above)
• Place cookies on a parchment lined paper for baking.

Bake the cookies

• I prefer to chill the cookie in the fridge while the oven is preheating
• Preheat the oven at 170 C / 340 F
• Bake the cookies on the center rack for about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Once baked cool on the cookie sheet for 10 mins then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Save this recipe for later. You can find a collection of tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest 

Recipe Card – Shortbread Stamped Cookies

These are fun with my kids. They love pressing the stamps and seeing the designs being impressed. Reminds me of my mom and working her. Precious memories.