I just love shortbread. I like that it’s rich and decadent without being fancy. It’s buttery goodness. And it’s super easy to make. This version is particularly easy, quickly coming together in the food processor. The recipe comes from Melissa Clark, food writer and author of the terrific book In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite.

Melissa’s recipe is for a giant batch of shortbread, cooked in a sheet pan and serving 30-40 people. I love that the recipe is easily scaled – instead of using 5 sticks of butter, use 3 sticks or 2 sticks. The large batch can’t be made at once in the food processor anyway so she breaks it down into two batches that get hand-combined at the end. I made the batch with 2 sticks, using an 8-inch square pan. I’ve included the shorter recipe in this post, but Melissa’s full recipe can be found here. Perfect, and delicious. I love the combination of nutmeg and maple, and am thinking this recipe is a perfect vehicle for all sorts of different flavor combinations.

I’m definitely keeping this handy for our next party – perfect cookie to serve for a crowd of hungry people.

Maple Nutmeg Shortbread
From Melissa Clark
Makes about 25 small squares

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon Grade B maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line an 8×8-inch baking sheet with parchment.
2. Cut the butter into slices. In the food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Add the butter, syrup, and vanilla. Pulse until mixture forms a moist dough. Dump dough on the counter next to the rest of the dough.
4. Gently knead the dough until it is just combined. Press dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. It should reach all the edges of the pan. It might look like there isn’t enough dough but keep pressing it into place. Score the dough all over with a fork.
5. Transfer to the oven and bake until golden and firm, about 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely, then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.

• Maple Nutmeg Shortbread (Melissa Clark)