Make Room in Your Freezer for These Easy Shortbread Cookies!

"Have I told you how much I love cookies? I do! And as the holiday season approaches, I'm always looking for simple -- and simply delicious -- new treats. Today, I'm baking a batch of almond-orange shortbread cookies that are crisp and buttery. They're the perfect accompaniment to a cup of tea in the afternoon (or morning)! Make them today and freeze them for up to three months."


-Everyday Food's Sarah Carey

Related: Quick, One-Pot Meal Ideas To Feed the Whole Family


1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners' sugar
3/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

Grated zest of 1 orange (about 2 teaspoons)

3/4 cup sliced almonds


Related: 35 Beyond Delicious No-Bake Dessert Recipes


1. Make the dough: In a mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar, almond extract, and salt until smooth. With mixer on low speed, add flour and orange zest; mix just until a dough forms. With a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or your hands, gently mix in almonds.

2.
Freeze the dough: On a piece of waxed paper, form dough into a rectangular log, 12 inches long, 2 1/2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. Wrap log in the paper, and freeze until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 months. If freezing longer than 1 day, wrap log again, in plastic wrap.

3. Bake the shortbread: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove dough from freezer. (If dough has been in freezer a long time and is frozen solid, let it sit at room temperature 30 minutes so it slices without crumbling.)

4. With a sharp knife, cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheet at least 1 inch apart. Bake until edges just begin to turn golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet; transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.

More From Everyday Food:

15 Kitchen Shortcuts That Will Change the Way You Cook
36 Dinners You Can Make in Just 15 Minutes!
24 Easy, Fun Halloween Treats You've Never Thought Of
No-Mess One-Bowl Desserts: 12 Recipes for Lazy Bakers