Countdown Cookies

This is not a drill. These cookies are the bomb. Super simple and nigh-infinitely customizable, this addictive shortbread will leave your waistline in peril. I don't have any photos because the last batch of lemon variants didn't make it long enough and I'm finally out of flour.

Countdown Cookies

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes (plus softening butter to room temperature, preferably overnight)

Bake Time: 10-40 minutes in 5 minute increments, taking out the ones that are done and putting the rest back until the edges are browning and the cookie can be easily picked up off the sheet

Yield: 24 1" snap-style shortbread cookies

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter or margarine, room temperature

1/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. flour

(optional) mix-ins*

Instructions

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.) In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Now is the time to add liquid mix-ins* and mix until well blended.

3.) Add flour and cut in until fully incorporated and a sticky dough forms. Now is the time to gently work in dry mix-ins* until evenly distributed.

4.) Drop and spread spoonfuls of dough onto a nonstick cookie sheet. The thinner the cookie is spread, the quicker it will cook. These cookies do not spread while baking, but your mix-ins* might. Plan accordingly.

5.) Cook for 10-40 minutes, take out the ones that are done and put the rest back until the edges are turning brown and the cookie comes easily off the sheet. Check in five minute incremements. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

*Mix-Ins

The beauty of these three-two-one shortbread cookies is that the 3:2:1 ratio produces a sweet, buttery flavor. This lends the cookie its melt-in-the-mouth versatility because almost anything goes with butter. Like most butter cookies, these countdown cookies blend well with a variety of extracts, especially lemon and vanilla. If allergies are not a concern, ground or chopped nuts can add an earthy note, particularly pecans or peanuts.

Chocolate, peppermint (extract or crushed candy), berry (extract or dried), stone fruit (extract or dried): any of these as a dry or wet mix in are the most tempting exotic combinations. Perhaps some smoked pepper for a particularly peculiar piquance. Which will you try first?

Probably chocolate, but chocolate may make them spread a bit. It depends on what you use as to the degree of spreadage, but they won't be dead-on predictable anymore. They should be like laying mortar between bricks if the ratio is right and the butter isn't melted (IMPORTANT: you will possibly burn your cookies if you try to shortcut softening the butter and overshoot it this way; it makes them cook faster and changes the texture of the dough from Playdough to paste).

Why Countdown Cookies?

Well, the name references the 3-2-1 shortbread ratio of flour to butter to sugar used in the recipe, as well as the fact that these cookies are fire. I'm a Fallout fan and a sucker for a good pun (or any pun, really—good is overrated). Unless, of course, you mean, "Why should I make Countdown Cookies?" In which case, I must direct your attention to the fact that these cookies bring the heat like that bomb in Megaton. No one in my house can keep their hands off them (especially me).

They are also super simple to make with a five-step recipe, require only three ingredients as a base, and can be customized almost literally however you want. I'm reasonably sure that gluten-free flour can be substituted (but have not tried this yet), and I know that margarine works in place of dairy butter (this I have tried).