Shortbread

1 cup butter

½ cup sugar or 1/8 cup powdered sugar substitute (I use Swerve) + ¼ cup 1:1 white sugar substitute (I use Pyure)

2½ cups flour or 2½ cups America’s Test Kitchen GF flour blend + ½ & 1/8 tsp xanthan gum

Pinch of salt

Optional:

Cinnamon (I use ½ - 1 tsp, depends on how cinnamony you like it, add to flour)

Or

Lavender (1-1½ tbsp culinary lavender, very finely chopped, add to butter & sugar)

   *This gives you a strong lavender flavor – if that’s not for you, try using less lavender,

     maybe ¼ - ½ tbsp)

Left: Culinary lavender straight out of package

Right: Finely chopped

Or

Lavender infused sugar instead of regular sugar (see Notes)

Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy (about 2 minutes).

Whisk together flour , xanthan gum & salt. Add to butter mixture & mix well (mix until dough

   sticks to itself & not to the sides of the bowl. Be patient, sometimes this takes a little bit,

   dough should not look dry).

Press into 8” x 8” pan & prick all over with fork.

Bake at 325°F for 35-40 mins (until pale golden)

Cool slightly, then cut. They can be a little fragile, so after you cut them, leave them in the pan

   to finish cooling.

Notes:

You may know this as Scottish Shortbread (which traditionally also contains vegetable shortening). Most Regular Shortbread only contains butter, sugar, flour & a pinch of salt. Although you may find some recipes that also add cornstarch. It can take many forms – cut-out cookies, baked in a flat pan & cut in squares, or baked in molds.

The recipe I use was passed to me from my mom. She got it from a good family friend named Conni – so my whole life it was referred to as “Conni’s Shortbread”! I really like the original recipe. But a while ago, I tried adding cinnamon, & I also like that version. And recently I got brave & tried adding lavender.

Lavender infused sugar

            Mix 2 tbsp lavender buds with 1 cup sugar in airtight container or ziplock bag.

            Leave sealed for at least 1 week.

I put the mixture through a mess strainer to sort out the lavender bits before using.

            Use in recipes or tea.

*This gives the sugar a very mild lavender flavor, so if you want a little stronger flavor, try using 4 tbsp lavender buds.