Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and a wedge of shortbread sometime soon?

This recipe is really quite easy and the variations are endless.

– Linda Nelson

Vegan Rosewater Shortbread

1 cup vegan butter (you can find our simplified version on our website)
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rosewater (the original recipe called for 1
teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 1/2 teaspoons rosewater, but I thought that was too subtle)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a 10 inch shallow tart pan with a removable bottom. I use my own shortbread pan.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer or use a stand mixer. Beat the mixture for about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides often. Stir in the extract and rosewater.
3. Sift the flour and cornstarch together. Add half of this to the beaten butter mixture. Initially, mix it in with a rubber spatula so the flour doesn’t fly out of the bowl. Use your mixer to beat it in until mostly combined, and then add the rest. Keep mixing until all of the flour mixture is incorporated and the dough is crumbly, soft, and moist.
4. Place the dough in the prepared pan and distribute evenly. I use my fingers to firmly press the dough down so that the dough holds together. Make sure to press the dough into the fluted edges of the tart pan, of using, and if you’re using a pan like mine, make sure to press hard so as to assure the pretty designs.
5. Use a fork to gently poke into the dough at even intervals, sinking tines in about halfway. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet in the center of the oven rack and bake 30 to 32 minutes until the shortbread is slightly puffed and the edges are starting to turn pale gold. Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wooden cutting board. Sprinkle with sugar and let cool for 15 minutes.
6. Use a thin, sharp knife to slice the warm shortbread into twelve wedges. Place the entire pan on a wire rack and allow it to cool at least another 30 minutes before removing the wedges from the pan. Store completely cooled shortbread in an airtight container. If you have a pan like mine, the last steps of scoring with a fork, and cutting into wedges is unnecessary. The shortbread just pops out and the little rectangles can then be cut easily.

This shortbread is a great cookie for sending through the mail to friends and family.

Adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.