Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread

Total Time: 4 hrs 25 mins Preparation Time: 4 hrs Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup icing sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest, freshly grated
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds (they go rancid easily so make sure yours are fresh)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 using an electric mixer, in a large bowl beat butter and sugar until creamy and smooth; then add lemon juice and zest, and vanilla, and beat well.
• 2 in another bowl, combine the flour, poppy seeds and salt; add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until well combined.
• 3 wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for at least 3 hours (you can also freeze dough for up to 2 months).
• 4 preheat oven to 300f degrees.
• 5 roll dough between two sheets of wax paper to a 1/4-inch thick rectangle about 10 by 12 inches.
• 6 cut shortbread dough into 3x2-inch bars (make them 3x1 if you wish) using a knife or sharp edge.
• 7 place on ungreased cookie sheet (s) one inch apart.
• 8 prick the shortbread with a fork and bake until pale golden, approx 25 minutes.
• 9 cool on a wire rack.