Blood Orange Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies
These blood orange cornmeal shortbread cookies are buttery and rich, with a citrus kick from freshly grated orange zest and the subtle textural crunch and flavor of finely ground cornmeal. Dipped in a brightly pink hued blood orange glaze, they're also a visual delight. With only seven basic ingredients, including the glaze, and a shortbread dough that is quickly mixed, pressed into an 8x8 pan and baked, these bars are an easy dessert bursting with flavor.
Servings 18 bars (8 x 8 pan)
Ingredients
Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies
- ¾ cup (178g, 6 oz, 1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter room temperature, cubed
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar sifted
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- orange zest from 1 large navel orange
- ½ cup (70g) cornmeal fine
- 1 cup (120g) all purpose flour
Blood Orange Glaze
- 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar well sifted
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp blood orange juice strained (1 blood orange will be enough)
Instructions
Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies
- Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper, ensuring the ends hang over the sides as handles.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, salt and orange zest and mix on low, and then increase to medium, until well blended and no lumps of butter remain . Scrape down the bowl to ensure the zest and sugar are fully incorporated.
- Add the cornmeal and mix on medium low until well blended. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add the flour and mix just until flour is blended in. Do not overmix. Stir in the last loose crumbs with a spatula by hand if needed.
- Dump the shortbread mixture into the prepared pan, using your hands to break the dough up into smaller bits that you can distribute evenly around the pan. Use your fingers to press the dough into the pan in an even layer. If your hands start to stick, wet them just slightly. Using a small offset spatula, smooth out the top of the dough to remove fingerprints and create an even top, turning the pan as you go to reach all the corners.
- Place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes or more.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C, Gas Mark 4).
- Place pan in center rack of oven and bake for 25-28 minutes, until the shortbread is no longer shiny/tacky, the center is firm, and the edges just begin to turn a light golden brown.
- Cool on a baking rack. Carefully lift the shortbread out using the parchment paper handles and place on a cutting board. For 18 bars, make 3 even cuts horizontally, and 6 even cuts vertically. I found a sharp, thin bladed bread knife to be the best tool for clean cuts, although a chef's knife will work well too.
Blood Orange Glaze
- In a 2 cup glass measuring cup (or similar container), combine the sifted powdered sugar and the blood orange juice. Whisk until powdered sugar is completely incorporated and no lumps remain. You should have a glaze that drizzles slowly from the whisk; thin enough to let the excess glaze drip off, but thick enough to coat the bars with an opaque pink layer. Gradually add ½ teaspoon more juice at a time if needed to thin the glaze to your liking.
- For a more tailored look, dip each cooled bar halfway into the glaze and hold to let excess drip off. Place on a parchment covered cookie sheet to harden. Alternatively, you can start with the bars on a parchment covered cookie sheet and drizzle the glaze along the top of each bar for a more free-form glaze application (and more glaze per bite...)
- * You'll want to allow a few hours for the glaze to harden completely before you serve/stack these cookies - time needed will depend on the thickness of the glaze application.