Theresa Ireland's Scottish Shortbread Cookies
1 cup butter (NO substitutes!) softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup corn starch*
Optional: 1 cup M&Ms optional( or chocolate chips or....)
-or-
Optional: favorite jam (as topping, see below)
Preheat oven to 300 °
Line baking sheets with parchment paper
Mix together thoroughly butter, sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer.
Gradually blend in the flour and corn starch
Stir in (optional) candies
Form into 1 inch balls and place on parchment lined baking sheets.
Gently flatten each cookie with fingers or a flat-bottomed drinking glass dipped in sugar to prevent sticking.
Bake at 300 ° for 25 to 30 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown.
Cool for 5 minutes and then remove from paper
Can be made plain without the candies or instead of candies put a small drop of your favorite jam on the top of the cookie before baking.
*May substitute 1-Minute or Quick Cream of Wheat for the corn starch.