Simple Lime Shortbread Tea Cookies

Shortbread is one of my favorite building blocks for baking treats.  Press it into the bottom of a pan and cook for a few minutes... BAM! Awesome dessert crust/bottom for dessert bars. Use to make thumb print cookies or dip half of a baked cookie in chocolate and make a decorative treat!

This is what I did:

• 3/4 pound (1 1/2 cups or 3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla and lime juice.
2. 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.
3. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and bring everything together with your hands. Wrap each piece in plastic and chill until ready to bake.
4. I chose to make mine into tiny rounds and roll them in powdered sugar once they came out of the oven :)