Recipe from Barbara Tropp
Adapted by Julia Moskin
- Total Time
- About 45 minutes, plus 1 hour’s refrigeration
- Rating
- 5(111)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Creaming butter correctly, keeping butter doughs cold, and starting with fresh, good-tasting butter are vital details that professionals take for granted, and home bakers often miss.
For mixing and creaming, butter should be about 65 degrees: cold to the touch but warm enough to spread. Just three degrees warmer, at 68 degrees, it begins to melt. —Julia Moskin
Featured in: Butter Holds the Secret to Cookies That Sing
or to save this recipe.
Print Options
Include recipe photo
Advertisem*nt
Ingredients
Yield:About 4 dozen cookies.
- 4ounces (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
- ¼cup sugar
- 1cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, more for flouring paper
- Pinch of fine salt
- ⅓cup dried currants (see note)
- 1packed tablespoon finely diced crystallized ginger.
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (48 servings)
35 calories; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 0 grams protein; 4 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
Step
1
In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar at medium speed until light and smooth, about 3 minutes. Add flour, salt, currants and ginger, and mix until well blended, about 3 minutes. Gather dough into a ball and flatten slightly.
Step
2
Lightly flour a piece of parchment paper (or use nonstick baking mat). Place dough on paper or mat and roll out into a 10-inch square, an even ¼-inch thick. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Step
3
Position an oven rack in center of oven. Heat to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 10 1-inch-wide strips (if using mat, remove dough to a cutting surface first). Cut each strip into 1½-inch-long rectangles. Gather and roll out scraps and cut out more cookies. (Triangles or cookie cutter shapes can be made as an alternative to rectangles.)
Step
4
One sheet at a time, bake until edges are lightly golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely before storing in airtight containers up to 1 week.
- If currants are very dry, steam for 10 minutes.
Ratings
5
out of 5
111
user ratings
Your rating
or to rate this recipe.
Have you cooked this?
or to mark this recipe as cooked.
Private Notes
Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.
Cooking Notes
Erika
A delicious snack that's perfect with tea and even coffee. I soaked my dried currants to wash off some of the sugar on them, as well as to plump them up. Although following this recipe to the T, I was only able to make 38 (not 48) little rectangles. I would add more ginger next time because I barely tasted it in this batch. A lovely treat despite that one note!
Cat
I eliminated the currants altogether and added 1 cup of candied ginger bits. BEST EVER COOKIES! Great ginger flavor in a buttery shortbread. These are keepers!
Sarah
These were our best new holiday cookie in years. Tender, buttery, flavorful, irresistible. I used good quality cultured butter and followed the recipe precisely. Not an easy dough to work with, very short, but the results are fabulous.
Thy
The dough is quite crumbly, but once I pressed it into a sheet pan and let the dough chill it was fine. Added half a tsp of nutmag and a tsp of ground ginger. Could probably have gotten away with a bit more. 1/2 c currants and 1/2 c crystallized ginger -- otherwise, it's not nearly gingery enough. Also tried a version with dried cranberries instead of currants and I liked the added tartness.
George
Delicious.
Roll out to 9"x9" to get 54 cookies; the ones along the edges might be "for family." 10"x10" would be difficult.
Dough was not sticky, but it's cool here in PA.
Mand
Made these for Christmas - followed another suggestion and added additional currants and ginger (up to half a cup of each). Perfect.
Celia
Followed others’ recommendations to increase the ginger and currants to 1/2 c each, and was happy I did so. Also, seeing noted on the dough being a bit dry (and noticing that myself), I added 1 tsp bourbon to pull things together, which worked well. Another tip on the dough dryness front: make sure to spoon your flour instead of scooping it, or your flour-butter ratio will be off.
Andrea
I had neither currants, nor raisins. But, I did have semisweet mini chocolate chips. The chocolate and candied ginger played very well together. It was a big hit. I’m going to sub the chips for currants next time, too.
ab
first time: used 1/3 c currants, 2 TBSP chopped candied ginger. Got 36 little cookies. Needed 15 min
David Davenport
I’ve made this a few times, and friends love the consistency and taste. I followed the suggestion to hydrate the currants the second time and find that it vastly improves the shortbread. Also I didn’t have crystallized ginger so I substituted chrystalized Japanese Yuzu rind that I had bought a year ago and never used. What a great flavor, wow!
Thy
The dough is quite crumbly, but once I pressed it into a sheet pan and let the dough chill it was fine. Added half a tsp of nutmag and a tsp of ground ginger. Could probably have gotten away with a bit more. 1/2 c currants and 1/2 c crystallized ginger -- otherwise, it's not nearly gingery enough. Also tried a version with dried cranberries instead of currants and I liked the added tartness.
Cat
I eliminated the currants altogether and added 1 cup of candied ginger bits. BEST EVER COOKIES! Great ginger flavor in a buttery shortbread. These are keepers!
rutabaga2
I don't see the oven temp in this recipe. I'm going to try 325 degrees and keep a close watch on them.
Lucy Gorham
The recipe says to heat oven to 350 degrees.
George
Delicious.
Roll out to 9"x9" to get 54 cookies; the ones along the edges might be "for family." 10"x10" would be difficult.
Dough was not sticky, but it's cool here in PA.
vicky
Was surprised that they handled so well, but needs well-floured rolling pin. And sliding the thin sheet of dough to a board before cutting? No problem. Predominant flavour is BUTTER. Would add more ginger.
Mary lou
Use 1/2 cup currants and 1/2 cup ginger
Sarah
These were our best new holiday cookie in years. Tender, buttery, flavorful, irresistible. I used good quality cultured butter and followed the recipe precisely. Not an easy dough to work with, very short, but the results are fabulous.
mudyboots
This was so good. I followed the recipe completely. Even steaming the currents.
Erika
A delicious snack that's perfect with tea and even coffee. I soaked my dried currants to wash off some of the sugar on them, as well as to plump them up. Although following this recipe to the T, I was only able to make 38 (not 48) little rectangles. I would add more ginger next time because I barely tasted it in this batch. A lovely treat despite that one note!
Private notes are only visible to you.
