Cookies in a flash

Need a little something sweet to go with your tea? These cookies took me 25 minutes from start to finish. I couldn't have run to the store that fast! They have been taste approved and eaten up as fast as I made them.

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Quick Shortbread Cookies


1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two large baking sheets lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.

In your mixer, cream together butter and sugar and extract.  Add flour and continue to mix until mixture forms a soft dough, it will be crumbly at first, but keep mixing until the dough forms a cohesive ball.

Roll dough into about a 12 inch log on a large piece of saran wrap or parchment. If you have course sugar on hand, roll the dough log in the sugar to create a crust on the raw dough.  At this point you can toss in the fridge to bake later or with a sharp knife slice in 1/4 inch rounds. Place on prepared cookie sheets and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until cookies are pale golden brown.