Royal Wedding Shortbread Cookies

After finally making peace with the fact that my invitation must just have gotten lost in the mail, I must admit today that I have total Royal Wedding mania.

I obsessively check the news to see whether Kate’s dress designer will reveal him- or herself, what they’ll serve at the wedding (canapes? My aunt and I are still outraged!) and who her wedding cake baker will be. Kate and William seem so normal, with their boring “we met in college” romance and 8-year courtship. But the glamour of princes and princesses and tradition and Westminster Abbey, coupled with my inherent love of all things British (I really like Harry Potter.) means that all I’ve talked about for the past few weeks has been royals.

Though I have yet to buy a commemorative dinner plate or um, lots of other royal couple-emblazoned items, someone from England recently gifted my aunt with a large tin of Walker’s shortbread cookies. Guess who was on the cover? Yes, that’s right, William and Kate.

While the outside of the tin was pretty darn cool, the inside of the tin was even more exciting. Walker’s shortbread are my absolute favorite store-bought cookie (a close second are the Petit Ecolier 45% Dark, in case you’re thinking of gifting). They’re light and crumbly, buttery and slightly sweet, but with a slight salty tinge. Plus, they pair perfectly with both coffee and tea, which is a really big deal if you find yourself suddenly shunning coffee.

Making your own shortbread cookies is a cinch. Most recipes call for 3-4 ingredients, and odds are, you already have them at home. This version requires you to grate the butter into the flour, creating fluffy clouds of buttery goodness. (Warning: these butter pillows look deceptively similar to shredded cheese. Don’t be fooled. Obviously I don’t speak from experience or anything.)

So if you were planning on, you know, waking up before dawn on Friday morning to maybe attend a royal wedding party and you need something to bring, look no further. These shortbread cookies are positively regal.

Royal Wedding Shortbread Cookies
Adapted from Joy of Baking

I doubled the original recipe for thick shortbread wedges. They’re sturdier and therefore perfect for dipping.

– 1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour

– 1/2 cup cornstarch

– 1/2 c granulated sugar

– pinch of salt*

– 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter*

*Alternately, you can use salted butter, if you have that on hand.

1) Preheat the oven to 325ËšF. Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt until combined. Grate the butter into the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, lift the butter into the flour to create breadcrumb-like clumps of flour and butter. Do not form a dough.

3) Pat the clumps into the tart pan, forming an even layer. Prick holes into the shortbread with a fork or a toothpick, then slice the dough into 16 wedges.

4) Bake for 55-60 minutes, until the cookies take on a pale golden color. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Re-cut the wedges along the lines you previously scored. Once the tart pan is cool enough to handle, remove the bottom and separate the cookies. Allow to cool before serving.

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