I recently made shortbread cookies for my church bazaar and since then people have asked for my recipe. I’m sharing it with them, and with you.

Melt-in-your-mouth shortbread takes practice and a bit of fuss, but it’s worth it.

Smith shortbread cookies

• 1 cup     butter (It must be butter.)
• 1/3 cup  instant-dissolving sugar (It must be instant-dissolving sugar, sometimes called fine fruit sugar.)
• 1/2 tsp.   vanilla (If possible, use white vanilla to keep the cookies looking bright.)
• 2-1/2 cups   cake and pastry flour, sifted (I am Canadian. The flour where you live might be different, and you might need more or less.)

• Beat butter until light and fluffy, at least 2 minutes.
• Gradually add sugar, beating after each addition.
• Add vanilla.
• Add flour 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition.
• Form into a ball and pat the outside with extra flour.
• Roll on a well-floured surface to ¼ inch thickness, adding extra flour if necessary to prevent sticking.
• Cut using cookie cutters.
• Bake at 300° F on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets for 12 to 5 minutes.
• Makes approximately 2 ½ to 3 dozen average-sized cookies.

Shortbread tips

• No substitutes!
• Don’t bake for too long. I bake them until the edges are just starting to brown.
• To ice them, I mix together icing sugar, water and vanilla. (Use white vanilla for white icing.) I never measure this, so I can’t give you quantities. Do it until it feels right!