Since I have recently had some luck with cooking contests (Cooking Light and Better Homes & Gardens), I decided I would check out some other contests. One I found was the Bloggers’ Blueberry Recipe Contest. It got me thinking about what new recipes I could come up with using blueberries. So at naptime today I looked in the cupboard, but only found the basics – flour, sugar, butter. I decided a basic shortbread dough flavored with blueberries would be fun to try. And can you go wrong with butter, sugar, and flour????
blueberry shortbread

Shortbread is so simple. Just cream butter and sugar together. Then I added the blueberry puree.

Press dough into a baking pan and bake.
Have sous chef lick the bowl.

Cut into rectangles, dust with sugar, and let cool.

Blueberry Shortbread

Makes 24 cookies

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ cup fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a food processor, pulse blueberries to a puree.

Mix butter and ½ cup sugar on medium speed until light and creamy. Combine the flour and salt, and then mix into the butter mixture on low speed. With a spatula, stir in the blueberry puree.

With floured hands, press dough into an 8 inch square baking pan. Bake 40 minutes or until golden brown. If shortbread is under baked, it will more cakey. While the shortbread is warm, slice into rectangles, about 1 x 2.5 inches, but leave in the pan. Prick the top with a toothpick if desired. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Cool completely before removing from pan and serving.