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1
Preheat the oven to 350u00b0F.
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2
In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment (I use a standard Kitchen Aid hand mixer with regular blades), cream together the Butter and 1 Cup of the Sugar until they are just combined.
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3
Add the Vanilla.
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4
In a medium bowl, sift together the Flour and Salt; then add them to the Butter and Sugar mixture.
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5
Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk.
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6
Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
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7
Roll dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3-inch heart-shaped cutter (I roll the dough between two sheets of flour-dusted waxed paper -- no sticking!).
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8
Place the hearts on an ungreased sheet pan and sprinkle with sugar (I line the baking sheets with parchment paper).
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9
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (time will vary based on the size/shape/thickness of your cookie dough), until the edges begin to brown.
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10
Allow to cool to room temperature.
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11
Leave plain or dip in or paint with melted chocolate or Royal Icing.
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12
A NOTE FROM INA: 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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13
For me, I loosely wrap each baked cookie in bakery-type waxed 'tissue' paper and store them in the fridge in a tightly sealed Tupperware-type container -- they will keep for weeks this way and still taste great!
