Happy Shortbread Day!

So I decided to be a good sport and celebrate Shortbread Day by making my favorite shortbread cookie.  And remember how I said one of my New Year's resolutions was to eat less sugar?  Well, good news!  These cookies only have 1/2 cup sugar in them!  So they are definitely less sugar than my normal cookie.  Almost healthy, if you are only counting the sugars.  But I really don't even know what I'm talking about in regards to "counting sugars", so I'll quit and just share with you a shortbread cookie recipe as my way of wishing you all a very happy Shortbread Day!!

Chocolate Chip Shortbread Sticks

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

glaze:
3/4 cup chocolate chips
2 tsp. butter

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  With mixer on low, gradually add flour just until blended.  Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide dough in half.  Place each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. 

Fold wrap over dough, flattening the dough as you go until you have a nice little flat disc of dough.  Repeat with other half of dough. 

Refrigerate dough for 2 hours or overnight.

Very lightly grease 2 cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper.  Take small chunks of dough and roll into sticks, 3 inches long and about 1/2 inch in diameter.  Arrange 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
  

Alex wanted to help, and since he needs to expand his culinary skills a bit beyond cereal and oatmeal and quesadillas, I let him roll the cookies for me.  He did a mighty fine job!

Place cookie sheet into freezer for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat oven to 350.

Bake frozen sticks for 12-14 minutes, or until edges are golden.  Let cool 2 minutes on pan, then remove to cooling racks to cool completely.

To make glaze, place chips and butter in small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds.  Stir and microwave again in 15 second intervals until melted smooth (stirring well after each 15 seconds).

Dip each end of cookie in melted chocolate, place back on parchment to let chocolate set.

mmm mmm good!