Homemade shortbread cookies

To make butter cookies, mix the butter at room temperature with the sugar, salt and vanilla sugar and mix well until smooth. Add the egg and continue mixing. It is best to work at room temperature, as this allows the ingredients to mix together better.

Now add the flour and knead until you have a smooth dough. When adding the flour, I recommend incorporating it little by little.

Now wrap the dough in cling film and place in the fridge for at least an hour. This resting time is essential to get the perfect shortbread dough. This makes the dough much easier to work with later.

After the cooling time, preheat the oven to 180°C top/bottom heat.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface to a thickness of about 5mm and then cut out into any shape you like. If the dough sticks, simply use extra flour for rolling out.

Place the cut-out cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for approx. 10-15 minutes until golden brown. The first few times, it is important to keep an eye on the oven as baking times can vary depending on the oven.

Leave the baked butter cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. They will harden slightly as they cool, so don't worry if they seem a little soft at first.

Enjoy your homemade shortbread cookies!