Shortbread Hearts

Show: Barefoot ContessaEpisode: Romantic Breakfast

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (36)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(36)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
24 hearts

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 30 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 1 hr 10 min

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Ingredients

3/4 pound unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt; then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and roll shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter. Place the hearts on an ungreased sheet pan and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Note: The edges of the shortbread are ever so slightly sharper if you chill the cookies before baking them. I cut out the cookies days ahead and bake them the day I serve them.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Shortbread Hearts
Alison Sun Valley, CA 09-22-2009
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So Easy, So Good
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

After reading some of the reviews, I understand what happened to some of the others. First, I think you have to use a mixer... and paddle attachment. Second, you have to make sure the butter is room temp throughout. Last, I took out the dough and tried to form a disc, but the dough wasn't coming together and was crumbly. I put it back into the mixer, and mixed it a little more until it came together. Also, make sure your board and rolling pin are well-floured. This is a delicious cookie that you can do so much with. I have gotten rave reviews and if you just make sure you follow the above, you will love the results!Read more
recipe Shortbread Hearts
Paula Breese, IL 02-15-2009
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Awesome Cookies
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I wanted something special for Valentines day for my family so I tried these cookies. They are excellent! If you follow the... recipe you can't go wrong.Read more
recipe Shortbread Hearts
Nancy Quincy, MA 02-13-2009
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Dough too crumbly and difficult to work with
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

I have always enjoyed Ina's recipes so I decided to try this Shortbread recipe rather than the tried and true recipe that I... have. I followed the instructions to the letter, and it just never came together. When I attemped to roll out the dough it just broke apart. I don't know what to do at this point - I may just put on a cookie sheet and try to make something that I could cut up. It is a shame as it is total waste of 3/4 lb of butter. Read more
recipe Shortbread Hearts
Ninky Fridley, MN 11-27-2008
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Solution to crumbly dough
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I too had trouble with the dough, very crumbly. I put my crumbly dough into a large plastic ziplock bag and then kneeded it... until if formed a ball. This worked great and I did not have to waste the ingredients. Read more
recipe Shortbread Hearts
S Bklyn, NY 10-25-2008
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Crumbly dough but great cookies
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I decided to mix by hand, which resulted in horribly crumbly dough even after I refrigerated it for over an hour (the butter... I used was at room temperature--otherwise it would have been impossible to mix by hand, so I'm guessing the problem came from the way I mixed it?). The dough was very hard to work with (had to press very hard), but the cookies turned out fine--tender, flaky, buttery. Read more
recipe Shortbread Hearts
Donyele NY, NY 10-20-2008
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Dry crumbly cracked dough
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I had the same problems as Christine. the dough was too crumbly and cracked. I went ahead and baked them anyway, and they... turned out crumbly. so I called the phone number for media inquiries listed on Ina's website. The lady who answered the phone told me that the butter must absolutely be room temp. I think I left the butter out for over an hour, the same length of time I leave it out to make the coconut cupcakes. But she said that the butter won't be absorbed by the flour if it?s not left out for 2 or 3 hours?. if I try again I will probably 1/2 the reciepe so not to waste so much butter if it doesn't turn out right Read more