I remember as a little girl, my Mom was my hero. She’s still my hero, though our relationship has gone through many changes over the course of both our lives. My Mom was the ‘young’ mom, the beautiful mom…the mom my friends all wanted to ‘adopt’. In my eyes, my mom was flawless. Everything she cooked was amazing. She could iron clothes like nobody’s business! She even ironed socks and underwear! Our house was always immaculate! Clothes were all folded uniformly and stowed away in our dressers so neatly. Cans and pantry items all faced the same direction with English labels facing forward, and nothing askew. I have no idea how my Mom did it all.
The one thing Mom was never really a fan of was baking. I recall a few times she’d bake from her 1970s-198os cookbooks (I never really liked the pastel coloured mini marshmallow and coconut treats from that vintage) or sometimes she’d bake cookies or a cake “homemade from a box”. We always had fun “helping” her. Plus, everything she made was always amazing because she made it.
I do recall one time when I was in elementary school (I can’t remember what grade I was in), Mom forgot to bake cookies for our school Christmas party. She quickly picked up a container of shortbread cookies that were beautifully decorated with sparkly festive sugar crystals. I remember them vividly. They were beautiful Christmas trees, stars, Santa Claus shapes…and Mom said, “Don’t tell them that I didn’t bake them!”
I giggle every time I think of that story. I never told a soul that Mom didn’t bake them. It was only until this year that Mom said, “Remember when I used to buy cookies for your school parties and tell you not to say I didn’t bake them?”
Mom makes me laugh. She brings those stories up because she never knew how she ended up with a daughter who LOVES to bake. This is something she tells everyone. For special occasions, she always requests one of my signature cheesecakes.
I did, however, get Mom to help me bake shortbread cookies for the holidays a few years back. Now that I’m a mom, we’re creating new family memories.
Little One has always been my little helper in the kitchen. She loves doing it all…especially baking cookies!
* Note: Photo below is of my traditional shortbread cookies, decorated for Christmas. The first batch of coconut lime cookies I made didn’t last! Hubby and Little One claim they have ‘poor shelf-life’ and ‘poor keeping quality’. In other words, THEY ATE THEM ALL!!!
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar (white sugar for this recipe)
- ½ cup coconut flakes (I like them toasted)
- 2 Tbsp. grated lime zest
- 1 tsp. vanilla (I use my homemade vanilla)
- 1 cup Gay Lea butter, cold & cut into pieces (I use Gay Lea Spreadables sometimes)
- Lime Glaze (optional):
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. grated lime zest
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- 3 Tbsp. water
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine coconut, sugar, 2 tablespoons lime zest, and vanilla.
- Add flour and mix ingredients until combined.
- Add butter and combine mixture until it starts to cling.
- Knead dough until smooth. Shape dough into a ball; divide in half.
- Cover dough with a piece of plastic wrap. Place wrapped dough on another baking sheet and chill until firm, 30 minutes.
- Lightly flour your surface and roll out one of the dough portions to about ¼" thickness. Using cookie cutters (preferably 1.5" to 2" cookie cutters and whatever designs you wish - if it's the holidays, go festive with stars), cut out dough. Place cutout cookie dough 1" apart on an ungreased cookie sheet or pn cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 15 to 17 minutes. Just make sure to bake them only until the edges begin to brown slightly. I actually baked mine for 17 minutes.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Make a second batch with the remaining shortbread dough by repeating the exact procedures.
- OPTIONAL: If you wish, you can *glaze the tops of cookies with lime glaze and garnish by sprinkling a bit of grated lime zest.
- *Lime Glaze:
- Whisk powdered sugar, lime peel, and lime juice together in a bowl until combined. Add in three tablespoons of water, and whisk until it the perfect consistency for spreading on cookies. Et voila!
I am going to make more batches of these coconut lime shortbread cookies and am going to surprise some unsuspecting recipients! Our Purolator, Muskoka Delivery, and Canada Post delivery people are always so great to me. I see them pretty regularly when they drop off weekly parcels. I think they’ll be surprised when I give them these treats as a special thank you! Who doesn’t love shortbread cookies?
I have to tell you how excited I am about Gay Lea’s Shortbread Bliss contest!
It’s a national contest running across Canada (sorry, excluding Quebec) and it runs from November 1, 2013 – December 31, 2013. I wasn’t aware that Gay Lea’s Shortbread Bliss launched for the first time 6 years ago!
The contest is held on the Gay Lea Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/gayleafoods.
How to enter:
You must ‘Like’ the page to enter
Interactive functionality allows entrants to come back every day to play and accumulate ballots for more chances to win!
Daily Prizes: Cook Books
Weekly Prizes: KitchenAid mixers
Grand Prize: A New Kitchen!
There is a recipe advent calendar for you to peruse as well! Hello…shortbread!! Yes, please!
Speaking of shortbread cookies, would you like to make some?
ONE grand-prize winner (one winner across all 15 #GayLeaFoods Ambassadors’ blogs) will win a KitchenAid® Classic Series Stand Mixer!
To enter, simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Readers know that they may enter across many blogs, but may only win on a single blog. Entrants must be a resident of Canada, however those in Quebec are unfortunately unable to enter the giveaway. The winner can expect their prize in about 4-6 weeks after the closing date of the giveaway.
Disclosure: I am part of the Gay Lea Blogger Campaign with Mom Central Canada and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.
These look divine! Like you the combination of Lime and Shortbread are truly my favourites. Who wouldn’t love it.
Loved your story about your mom telling you to say she made the cookies – awesome!
I like to make a basic one with butter. Not sure where the recipe is right now but I also try new ones that I come across.
I love classic shortbread cookies, and cookies that have cranberries or chocolate added to them! YUM!
Lemon shortbread cookies 🙂
I wish I had a recipe to share with you but I’m not a fan of shortbread cookies. 🙁
i like any shortbread really. i dont have my own recipe
Don’t have a fav recipe yet
I don’t have a favorite short bread recipe, but I loved the shortbread that a coworker gave me last Christmas. It was light and fluffy. Which reminds me that I have to grab the recipe from her so I can bake them this Christmas!
I love raspberry shortbread!
I put fresh raspberry sauce on the top!
Our favorite recipe is whipped shortbread topped with chocolate 🙂
Drool!!! That sounds so good!!
I don’t have a favourite one yet. I would like to have an easy short bread cookie recipe.
I once made whipped shortbread, they turned out pretty good. It is 1 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 1/2 cups flour. Whip it all up and bake it!
I meant to rate your recipe too!
Thank you!!!
My aunt makes the best shortbread cookies. She only makes them at Christmas so I always look forward to them.
I have been using the same recipe for years and it comes from Best of Bridge, Whipped Shortbread. I have to admit, I am not a fan of Shortbread, but when I make it, it disappears quickly!
I like cookies and desserts with coconut. Your shortbread cookies look awesome 🙂
I love shortbread cookies. I use my grandmothers recipe. I would love to win the mixer. I never have had one and I would die to be able to own one. Thank you so much for the chance.
My moms shortbread recipe is my favorite.
No I have never tried to make a short bread before
My favourite recipe for shortbread is my mother’s. ‘Nuff said.
i have one shortbread recipe that has been in our family for years! i do it almost every year at christmas and let the kids decorate them
I don’t have a favourite recipe. I always love simple and straight forward recipes.
My favourite shortbread recipe is Whipped Shortbread! Delicious! A close second is Skor Shortbread Cookies! Yummy!
My favourite is my grandmother’s recipe that is hand written by her on a recipe card – that’s my favourite part, her lovely handwriting.
Oh I don’t but I might by the look of this one. I love shortbread, any time of year.
I don’t have a favorite because I don’t make them enough
My husband makes a killer shortbread, though I have no idea what the ingredients are, I just love LOVE shortbread!
I don’t have a particular favourite; I always like trying new recipes.
it’s a family traditional recipe – plain, simple, and scrumptious. not the holidays without it. thanks
I don’t have one – always on the hunt for good ones though. Will have to try this!
I do! My nannas! Although she hasn’t given me the recipe yet she uses fresh whole ingredients and its sooo buttery!
I don’t really have a favourite one. The ones you’ve posted look amazing!
I have to do more baking!
No, I don’t have one.
Christine,
Hope you are well sweetie. Don’t have the opportunity to bake often, but would love to try those lime cookies you mentioned. Who could resist the tart lime and within shortbread no less. Your story of your Mom is so sweet, it is fabulous when we have little ones of our own how we can bond with and disclose all of the little fibs we grew up with. That means special times together are only more special.
Big hugs girl xOxO
Hi Nerina!
Thanks so much for your comment. Yes, amazing when you’re a parent and your parents tell you things from your childhood that shock you! 🙂 The cookie story cracks me up! Let’s catch up soon! We’re long overdue! 🙂
Thanks Christine for your blog post & giveaway. I love all things sweet and shortbread is great for afternoon snacks with my favourite tea. I don’t have a recipe as I don’t know how to make it. Maybe one of these days, I will attempt to make 🙂
Don’t have a favorite recipe, but I’ll give your Coconut Lime Shortbread recipe a try.
I love my Mom’s recipe for those creepy witches fingers with almond fingernails! They are for Hallowe’em shortbread. ☺
I love shortbreads, I use my moms recipe, they are delicious! We add a cherry slice to the top before we put them in the oven
these cookies look awesome
I don’t have one yet but after reading through your comments above I think I need to look on the back of my cornstarch box!
Sadly, I am not the talented chef in this household… my husband has his grandmother’s recipe, and he makes amazing shortbread!
Don’t have a particular favourite shortbread recipe..whenever I decide to make it I just find whatever is available on the net at the time 🙂
I do. It’s the one on the back of the corn starch box. Amazing!
I don’t have a fave shortbread recipe because I’ve never made it successfully!
Yep, I make shortbread. From the recipe on the back of the cornstarch box. Oh, wait, um…Ancient Family Recipe! It kills my arm, hand-mixing with a wooden spoon. Oh, how much easier life would be with a KitchenAid mixer! 🙂 Subtle, eh?
I love my sister’s mother-in-law’s recipe. She used to make me a batch every Christmas, I miss her so much!
I use my mother-in-law’s Scottish shortbread recipe…straight from Scotland!
Ohhh! That sounds fabulous, Sylvia!!!
My mom has an amazing shortbread recipe that I can’t get right. Mine end up crumbly or extremely delicate, which makes decorating them no fun! So, I leave those to her! Perhaps I’ll give your recipe a try and keep them at home this year.
Yes, my mom’s using cornstarch. She knows how to make it melt-in-your-mouth and still a beautiful white colour.
I have a recipe my whole family loves. I think I got it out of a magazine about 15 years ago.
I have a maple shortbread recipe that I love!
I don’t have a recipe and I have never made these type of cookies.
I wish I had a great shortbread recipe! I consider myself a decent baker/cook but haven’t come across a shortbread recipe that works for me yet.
I have one that my grandma had – only 4 ingredients and very easy to do!
I don’t actually. I have a favorite oatmeal date recipe from my gramma who was Dutch.. but no awesome shortbreak, I just use any I find in a magazine 🙂
My favorite shortbread is the Best of Bridge whipped shortbread, yummo!
My favorite shortbread recipe is a basic one I use with my lemon bars. I love a shortbread crust! Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
I don’t have any shortbread recipes but just love eating them!
I loves shortbread. Even made shortbread cookies once! 🙂
My Grandmother always made shortbread cookies with sprinkles on them around the holidays. I’ve never made them because it just wouldn’t be the same.
I don’t have a favourite shortbread recipe but I love to eat it!
my grandmas short bread was the best, one day i hope to find where she stashed her recipes
I make a great white chocolate cranberry shortbread!! I’ll have to dig it out!!
I’m still trying different ones actually… I’ll settle down with one in a few years.
I’ll be honest.. .you don’t want ANY of my baking recipes! I’m awful…. Hubs is the baker… I however can make a mean pot roast!
I love any shortbread recipe that is easy and tasty!
I may have made a cookie or two, on occasion……I make a Coconut Lime Icebox cookie very similar to this…if I do shortbread, I usually do what I think is called “Scotch” shortbread. really thick that you press into the pan and cut right out of the oven….
No, i don’t have a favourite recipe – i am always looking for something new to try – the easier the better!
My Dads! He’s the best baker ever and I’m learning from him all the ime
I have an old shortbread recipe that is super simple and easy to make…melts in your mouth! I inherited the recipe from my mom 😉 hehe. Yours look DELICIOUS!! I’ll have to try them out!
I bake VERY often but I haven’t been brave enough to try shortbread. My specialty are “breads”: banana bread, pumpkin loaf, etc.
I don’t – I’ve never made shortbread before actually!
The one time I attempted shortbread I absolutely murdered it, haha. Perhaps I should stalk the comments 😉
LOL! Kaylee!!!! I remember my first time making shortbread cookies! I had the same experience as you did! Murdered it! Almost made me not want to try making them again! With practice, you can achieve the yummiest shortbread cookies ever 🙂
I have a favourite, it is my mom’s but I don’t have the recipe! I love shortbread.
Thanks.
I do have a recipe that i love….it is my mom’s whipped shortbread!
I don’t have one, but I sure do love shortbread! Will have to try your recipe soon – looks yummy!
I don’t have a shortbread recipe, but I like eating shortbread cookies!
Yum!! I would actually try baking those!! I love the lime component!
I don’t think I have tried shortbread! This looks great! Will have to try.
Yum!!! This looks delicious, Christine!
I will have to try it out – I am a sucker for shortbread.
On a side note: Love your newly updated blog! Looks great!
Thank you so much, Carol! That means a lot! 🙂 The blog has evolved a bit. Change is good 🙂