Smiley Face Shortbread

Name: Smiley Face Shortbread
Yield: 30 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 100 grams Unsalted butter; 130 grams White flour; 50 grams Sugar (powdered sugar preferred); 40 grams Cornstarch; 1 to 2 teaspoons Milk or heavy cream; 1 pinch Salt; 1 Cocoa (optional), as needed

cookpad.japan @cookpad_jp

I adapted a recipe I saw in a cookbook I used to read a lot when I was staying overseas for a short time. I tried many recipes, but somehow the dough always came out too crumbly and didn't come together well. But once I added a little milk, the dough became a lot easier to handle.
I added a smiley face because it was cute.

-If the batter is too crumbly, it's difficult to draw on a face, so add milk.
-If you do not have cornstarch, then add the same amount of flour instead.
-It's easier to cut the dough after cooling in the fridge. It'll also easier to draw on the face.
-Adjust the cooling time depending on how big the dough log is. Be careful - it becomes difficult to draw a face once the butter starts melting. Recipe by yummykummy.

cookpad.japan @cookpad_jp

Saved

Ingredients

30 servings

100 gramsUnsalted butter
130 gramsWhite flour
50 gramsSugar (powdered sugar preferred)
40 gramsCornstarch
1to 2 teaspoons Milk or heavy cream
1 pinchSalt
1Cocoa (optional), as needed

Saved

Steps

1

Bring the butter to room temperature, and soften in a bowl. Sift flour and cornstarch together.
2

Mix the softened butter lightly, and add sugar and salt to mix in (Just mix lightly until everything is well combined.)
3

Add the sifted dry ingredients to the bowl and mix. Add milk (or cream), and mix and knead until it becomes a dough. You can divide the dough in half and add cocoa to one portion if you like.
4

Spread out a sheet of plastic wrap, form the dough into long, thin logs and wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for about an hour (overnight is preferable).
5

Cut the dough into 1 cm slices, and line up on a baking sheet. Draw faces on the slices using a chopstick and digging rather deeply. (The faces are optional.)
6

Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 170℃ (338 Fahrenheit) oven, and it's done! (Adjust the baking time depending on the thickness of the cookies and your oven.)
7

I made a version without cornstarch, replacing it with more flour. They came out quite crumbly. These are square-faced.
8

These are shaped like regular shortbread. Vary the thickness, size, shape... to your taste!
9

This is a version with faces with hair.
10

Add chopped dried fruit. The fruity acidity is really delicious.
11

A bear shaped version with cute wrapping!
12

Kitty shaped version.
13

I used melted chocolate for hair. Straight bangs, side part, parted bangs... there are many variations!