When I turned 12, some old friends of my family gave me cookie stamps. Let me tell you something. I loved those people, but they might as well have given me a bonnet. I thought the stamps were neat, but old fashioned and too mature for me. And well, I just wasn't that impressed. They got put away for when I was older. I don't know how I came to dig them out of storage, but some time after I got married they came into my possession again. I remembered Bob and Laura's thoughtfulness and by then they had both passed away, so it was with no small amount of nostalgia that I packed them up. They followed me through a couple of moves until I finally decided it was time to dust them off. Around that same time, I happened upon a recipe for cookie stamp shortbread in Country Sampler magazine (Oct/Nov 2000 p. 37). I'm so glad I finally used them! Now when I make these I feel very mature and grown up. Like a 6 year old wearing her Mother's shoes. Or a 12 year old wearing a bonnet making shortbread cookies! Plus, it makes one stinkin' good cookie.
Cookie Stamp Shortbread
1 1/2 C butter
3/4 C sugar
3 1/2 C flour
Cream butter and sugar thoroughly. Add flour gradually, 1 C at a time. Mix until well blended; do not over mix. Roll into one-inch balls and place on un-greased cookie sheet.. Stamp with warm cookie stamp. (Warm by preheating in oven; keep warm by placing near oven vent) Bake at 325° for 15-20 minutes.
Yield 5 dz.
Tips:
- My oven isn't under my cook-top so I just put the stamps back in the oven for a few seconds to heat them up again.
- Be sure to use extremely fresh ingredients in these, they have a very delicate flavor so every ingredient counts.
- Find some lovely handmade in the USA cookie stamps here: http://www.cookiestamp.com/
The perfect shortbead cookie. Even if you don't have a stamp, this is just wonderful. As shortbreads, they are fragile so they don't mail very well, but freeze just fine.
Don't forget to head on over to Fork and Beans to check out Cara's vegan/gluten free version of these!
I just love the stamped cookie, Brooke. And your bonnet too. Aren't you a sight for sore eyes :) It's as if Bob and Laura knew that one day you would mature into those stamps...
ReplyDeleteI think they did. =) Bob was a professional photographer. I wish I had half his talent. And Laura was the best baker on the planet. I will share her pineapple cake one day!
ReplyDeleteYou are including both of their talents in one :) I like that.
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