Moroccan Cookies

My good friend Pat learned to make these beautiful cookies while living
in Morocco. They have an unusual taste and texture—somewhat like puffy shortbread.

• 3/4 CUP BUTTER
• 1-1/4 CUPS OIL
• 1-1/2 CUPS SUGAR
• 5 CUPS FLOUR
• 1-1/4 TSP ACTIVE DRY YEAST

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Beat butter, oil and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Mix in flour and yeast (use your hands to knead together).

Pinch off pieces of dough and roll lightly between palms of hands until the shape of a slightly flattened ball (like a fat flying saucer). Dough will be slightly dry, so forming the right shape may take a little practice. Add a little more oil if dough is too difficult to work with.

Place on cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes. Cookies should be lightly browned on the bottom with a white, crackly top.

Scotch Shortbread

Thick, traditional shortbread
Works great with cookie cutters, too!

• 1 LB. BUTTER (SOFTENED)
• 1 CUP SUGAR (USE SUPERFINE, IF AVAILABLE)
• 5 CUPS FLOUR

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Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in 1 cup of flour at a time and then gently knead dough together. Pat dough down and roll out to approx. 1/2” thickness. Dough can be shaped by one of the following methods:

1) Shape dough into flat, round cakes (approx. 8” in dia­meter), flute edges, and prick all over with tines of a fork. If desired, mark cake into triangles (but do not cut all the way through); this will make the shortbread easier to break into pieces after baking. This method is excellent if the shortbread is to be wrapped and given as a gift.
2) Prick dough all over with tines of a fork. Cut into individual squares or triangles with a knife.
3) Use cookie cutters to create desired shapes (short­bread holds its shape well during baking, and makes a very attractive cut-out cookie).

Place on cookie sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until very lightly browned.

Canadian Shortbread Cookies

Delicate and delicious

• 2-1/4 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1/4 TSP BAKING POWDER
• 1 CUP SOFT BUTTER
• 1/2 CUP PLUS 1 TBLSP SUGAR

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Have baking sheets ready—do not grease. Start oven 10 minutes before baking; set to 325 degrees.

Sift flour, measure, and resift 2 times with baking powder. Cream butter until shiny, add sugar gradually, creaming well. Stir in flour in 2 or 3 portions, mixing until smooth after each portion, then knead a few times to mix well . Roll out on a lightly floured pastry cloth 1/4” thick, keeping shape as nearly rectangular as possible. Prick dough all over with a fork. Cut into 2-inch squares. Place on baking sheet 1/3” apart. Bake 18-20 minutes or until a delicate brown color. Remove from pans immediately to cool.

Auntie Ivy's* Rice Flour Shortbread

I always loved the unusual texture of my Aunt Ivy’s Christmas Shortbread. I finally
discovered her secret ingredient—rice flour. These are dry and not too sweet.

• 2 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
• 1 CUP RICE FLOUR (WHITE OR BROWN—available at health food stores)
• 1/2 CUP SUGAR
• 1 CUP (2 CUBES) UNSALTED BUTTER

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Mix together the flours and sugar. Slice the butter into the dry ingredients and work in with your hands, kneading dough well (mixture will be too crumbly if not kneaded enough).
Shape the dough into a flat cake and flute the edges; prick all over with the tines of a fork*. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes, or until lightly browned.

*If preferred, flatten dough, prick with tines of fork, and cut into squares or other desired shapes. Baking time may be less; watch cookies carefully to ensure they don't burn.

*Auntie Ivy was an artist and musician who made her living as a jazz pianist. She traveled widely (even spent some time with the circus) and was always ready for action. As a child I was totally in awe of her wigs, makeup, and gaudy costume jewelry. When elderly she lived in a mobile home park "full of biddies", where she was sometimes unpopular because of the organ, piano, full drum kit, etc. that filled her living room for her frequent jam sessions. I miss her.