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Striped Shortbread

Striped Shortbread looks fancy, but tastes like your favorite cookie from Grandma's cookie jar!
Course Dessert
Prep Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 3 dozen cookies
Author Family Circle Magazine

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 egg white beaten

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together butter and powdered sugar until well combined. Add vanilla and mix until vanilla is incorporated.
  3. Add flour mixture two butter mixture in two additions, mixing until just combined after each addition.
  4. Split dough in half, and set aside half the dough. Leave the other half of the dough in your mixing bowl, and add cocoa powder. Mix in the cocoa powder until evenly distributed. You may have to change from the mixer blade to using your hands to finish kneading in the cocoa powder.
  5. Roll out the "vanilla" (not chocolate) dough between two pieces of waxed paper into a 10" square. {My dough was more of a rectangle that was about 1/4-inch thick.} Repeat with chocolate dough, making sure it's the same size as the vanilla dough.
  6. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper from the chocolate and vanilla dough. Brush the top of the chocolate dough with some egg white. Turn the vanilla dough over, so the uncovered side of the dough is touching the egg white side of the chocolate dough. Gently press to adhere the dough together. Remove the remaining pieces of waxed paper.
  7. Cut the dough into four equal strips (long ways if you've made a rectangle). Brush the top of one strip with egg white. Place another dough strip on top of the one you just prepped, chocolate dough and vanilla dough touching (to create alternating stripes), and press gently to adhere. Brush the top of the strip stack you just made with egg white and top with another dough strip, chocolate and vanilla touching, then press gently. Repeat with last dough strip.
  8. Wrap the dough "log" in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  9. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with Sil-Pat or parchment paper.
  10. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and unwrap. Cut the dough log into thirds, and each third into 12 slices. {I cut each third in half and then in half again and then each of those halves into thirds to make sure I'd get 3 dozen cookies (see diagram). You can cut the log into 1/4-inch slices it you don't need and exact number.} Lay the slices striped side up on the prepared baking sheet.
  11. Bake for 10 minutes, or until edges are golden. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes on the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with a big glass of milk!