Day 9 … Orange Cranberry Cornmeal Shortbread

Nine down, three to go in the 12 Days of Cookies people. So on Day 9 let’s talk about that holiday classic, shortbread. You really can’t have a holiday cookie assortment without a buttery shortbread of some sort, am I right? While I did a super fancy layered version back on Day 1 (Pretzel Caramel Shortbread), a simple vanilla shortbread is a classic. It’s a sure fire crowd pleaser but also fairly commonplace so let’s mix this up a bit, shall we? Lets do something interesting, with unexpected textures and flavors and a little festive color thrown in for kicks. In that spirit, today’s cookie post is Orange Cranberry Cornmeal Shortbread.

I often like a little texture, a little something interesting in my cookies so I turned my attention to cornmeal. There’s a lime cornmeal cookie out there that I particularly enjoy so I started with that idea. Due to some recent consulting projects, I had at least five types of artisan cornmeal in the house: medium grind, stone-ground, white, yellow, red flint as well as a few types of grits. I started with the medium grind. Bad call; I hated it. The shortbread was unpleasantly gritty and ended up in the trash. Looking at my cornmeal stash, I realized none of my fancy cornmeals were right for this one. So much for trying to use up what I have. I was off to the store to add to the ever-growing pile of stuff accumulating in my house.

No need to buy anything fancy for this one; the Quaker brand yellow cornmeal commonly available does the trick perfectly. To the dough I added orange zest and coarsely chopped cranberries for a festive flair and for fun, I added a touch of orange flower water. It really emphasizes the orange nicely and lends a lovely scent. Uncharacteristically I stopped there, resisting the urge to add pistachios though the red/green contrast was extremely appealing. Just the orange and cranberry was exactly enough and the cornmeal gave a nice little crunch. It is absolutely delightful.

This is an easy one but there is a trick for cutting shortbread. Score it immediately out of the oven while it’s soft and warm. Wait too long and you’ll end up with messy shards. And there’s a little trick I learned working in restaurants; as the shortbread comes out of the oven, quickly drop it on a counter to deflate any bubbles that may have developed during baking. The hard rap compresses the dough in a lovely way. But wait, there’s more … after the drop while it’s still hot, quickly sprinkle sugar over the surface and tilt/shake to cover the surface evenly. This gives a nice light sugar coating and a delectable subtle crunch, which is highly desirable.

 

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: HIGH REWARD. There’s something comforting about pressing this dough into the pan and it reminds me a little of the play-doh projects of my youth. I brought a tray to a friends post-Thanksgiving football party and these cookies disappeared within minutes. I was a little stunned by the response – buttery, a little crunchy with a bright orange flavor, they were a huge hit. And that made me happy. It’s a good recipe when you want to mix it up a little bit.

Six years ago: Gingerbread with the Kids
Five years ago: Christmas Cookie Primer, Gingerbread with the Kids
Four years ago: Homemade for the Holidays
Three years ago: Lemon Slice Cookies
Two years ago: Peppermint Cookie Platter (a great way to showcase your cookies!)
Last year: Cider Apple Pie
12 Days of Cookies Recap so far:
— Day 1 – Pretzel Caramel Shortbread
— Day 2 – Fig Mezzaluna
— Day 3 – Dutch Windmills
— Day 4 – Bourbon Peach Rugelah
— Day 5 – Chai Spiced Meringue Kisses
— Day 6 – Almond Joy Bars
— Day 7 – Swedish Kringla
— Day 8 – Chile Lime Macaroons

ORANGE CRANBERRY CORNMEAL SHORTBREAD
Makes about 36 3” x ¾” bars

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
½ cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature (1 ½ sticks)
¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated orange zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon orange flower water
¼ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons sugar

1. Line a 9”x9” baking pan with a criss-cross of parchment paper making sure you have a bit of an overhang and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, and salt to blend.
3. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, powdered sugar, orange zest, vanilla and orange flower water on medium-high until light and creamy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape the bowl.
4. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour and mix until the dough begins to form moist clumps.
5. Turn the dough into the prepared pan.
6. Press the dough into the pan in a smooth, even layer.
7. Chill for 30 minutes.
8. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325°F.
9. Bake until the top look dry and golden brown, 35-40 minutes.
10. Immediately drop the pan firmly onto the counter (or the floor if no one is looking), to deflate the shortbread.
11. Quickly sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of sugar on top, tilting the pan back and forth to spread evenly.
12. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and with a sharp paring knife, immediately score the shortbread into bars – 3” l x ¾” w, (the knife may snag a cranberry. Persevere.). It’s important to do this right away; if you wait until it has cooled, you’ll have a big crumbly mess. Delicious still, but a mess.
13. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before removing them with a small, flexible offset spatula.
14. Do Ahead: the dough can be pressed into the pan and frozen, tightly wrapped, up to 1 month. Bake right from the freezer, adding a few extra minutes to the overall baking time. The baked bars keep, well wrapped, for up to three days a room temperature.