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Canestrelli Shortbread Cookies

Canestrelli Shortbread Cookies

Canestrelli Shortbread Cookies by Ohio food blogger NeighborFood are tender and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and go perfectly with a cup of coffee or on a holiday cookie tray.

grocery Prep: 30min
timer Cook: 15min
restaurant 25-30 servings

Ingredients

3 hard-boiled egg yolks
2/3 cup (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
Seeds of 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cornstarch, spooned and leveled
1 1/4 cup flour, spooned and leveled
Powdered sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until well-combined, scraping the bowl as necessary.
  • Beat in the vanilla bean, salt and lemon zest.
  • Place a fine mesh strainer over the mixing bowl. Add the hard-boiled egg yolks and use a spoon to push the yolk through the strainer, creating a fine dusting of yolks. Beat the yolks into the butter mixture on low speed.
  • Add cornstarch and flour to the bowl. Beat on low speed until a crumbly dough begins to form. The dough does not need to be cohesive, but all the powdery ingredients should be incorporated.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter top or pastry mat, and gently knead until the dough forms a ball. Press the ball down with the palm of your hand into a thick disk, then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
  • Lightly flour a surface, then roll the dough to about 1/2-inch thick. Cut with flower cookie cutters or whatever shape you desire. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 14-17 minutes, or until firm, but not browned.

Notes

To avoid sticking when cutting out the cookies, dip the cookie cutter in flour after every few cuts. For the center hole, use a piping tip or sturdy straw. Cookies will keep in an airtight container for about 1 week. Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 1 month.