SHORTBREAD BITES RACHAEL RAY RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F
• Line a 17-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, then lightly spray the parchment with cooking spray
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and confectioners' sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes
• Add the salt and mix for about 1 minute
• With the mixer on low, add the flour, then gradually increase the speed to medium, pausing the mixer and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until mixture is combined and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes
• Transfer the sticky dough to the center of the prepared baking sheet
• To help spread out the dough, take a second sheet of parchment paper, lightly spray one side, then press the coated-side onto the mound of sticky dough
• Using your hands, press through the parchment until the dough is evenly distributed from edge to edge of the baking sheet
• Remove and discard the top sheet of parchment sheet
• With the tines of a fork, lightly poke holes from edge to edge of the dough
• Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until light golden, about 15 minutes
• Let cool, then slice into rectangles

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a handheld beater, combine the butter, sugar, salt and mix until well-blended and fluffy, about 2 minutes (be sure to turn off the machine about halfway through mixing to scrape the bowl down)
• Add the eggs, one at a time, along with the vanilla extract and mix to incorporate
• Turn off the mixer and add the flour
• Start the mixer on a very low speed and mix to incorporate all the flour (if using a handheld mixer, this may be easier to do with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula)
• Flatten the dough down in the bowl and, using the side of your hand, roughly mark the dough into three equal pieces
• Divide the dough and turn each section out onto three large separate pieces of parchment or wax paper
• Shape the dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches thick using your hands (dont worry, it doesnt have to be perfect, you just want it to be an even thickness all the way through)
• Sprinkle the pumpkin pie spice evenly over the surface of one log of dough, then roll it around in the excess spice to completely coat the outside of the log
• Repeat this procedure using the candy canes on one log and the sugar in the raw on the other
• Roll each cookie dough log up in the wax or parchment paper and place it into the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until firm
• (If baking the cookies at a later date, wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and place the dough into the freezer
• Allow the dough to defrost overnight in the refrigerator before baking
• ) Once the cookie dough has firmed up, preheat an oven to 375F
• Remove the log from the refrigerator and cut it into 1/4-inch thick slices
• Arrange them on a nonstick cookie sheet and bake until the edges are very lightly golden brown, 13-15 minutes
• Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely before handling them