Shortbread is the ultimate sugar cookie, crisp yet tender, and bursting with
buttery flavor. It’s a good cookie to make when the cookie monster in you
growls but you don’t have any eggs in the house. Gluten-free rice flour
(cornstarch can be substituted) is used with regular flour to give it a
delicate crumb.

Makes 12 large cookies.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup white rice flour (available at natural food stores and many
    supermarkets) or cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) finely chopped crystallized ginger

    DIRECTIONS

    Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9 1/2-inch springform pan.


    In a medium bowl, using a hand-held electric mixer at high speed, beat the
    butter until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture
    is light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in
    the flour, rice flour, and ground ginger to make a soft dough. Stir in the
    crystallized ginger. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Using the
    tines of a fork, press around the perimeter of the dough. Prick the dough,
    reaching down to the bottom of the pan, into 12 wedges.


    Bake until lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.
    Remove the sides of the pan. Cut or break the shortbread into wedges,
    following the perforations in the dough. (The shortbread can be prepared up
    to 5 days ahead, stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)