My friend, you need to forget expensive imported cookies o! Remember those melt-in-your-mouth childhood favorites, such as Nigerian Shortbread Butter Cookies? You should try it using our homemade recipe.
Inflation in Nigeria has significantly impacted the standard of living. The prices of food items are doubling, and products that were once affordable are now becoming luxuries. If staples such as food crops are expensive, one can only imagine the increased cost of items like biscuits and juices. Popular cookies like Maryland and Oreos, as well as shortbread biscuits, have seen a sharp rise in price.
Should we give up on the snacks we enjoy due to inflation? If you are a bachelor or spinster, you might consider this option. However, for those with children, cookies, biscuits, and juices often become household staples. One of the most beloved snacks over the years has been shortbread butter cookies.
Their delicious taste and satisfying nature make them difficult to give up. In this article, we will explore how to make your own butter cookies, allowing you to enjoy this treat without bearing the high costs.
Ingredients for Nigerian Butter Cookies
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cornstarch (but you can use rice flour. The purpose of either one of them is to give the dough a lighter texture)
- Icing sugar (the purpose of using icing sugar is because it has a finer texture. This would give the final product a finer and delicate crumb. But if you want something more coarse, then you can use granulated sugar)
Wet Ingredients
- Unsalted butter (softened)
- Milk (add an extra milk extract for a richer taste)
- Vanilla extract
Optional Flavor Variations
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Ground ginger
Baking Instructions For Nigerian Shortbread Butter Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to the right temperature. Butter cookies bake best at moderate temperatures, so heat the oven at around 350°F (175°C). Prepare the baking tray by lining it with parchment paper.
Step 2: Mix unsalted butter and icing sugar till white and fluffy. This step aims to integrate air into the dough, giving the cookies a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Use a food processor or a good whisk to achieve the correct texture.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, milk extract, cornstarch/rice flour) to the creamed mixture. Mix thoroughly until well merged.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients (milk and vanilla extract). Mix well until a soft dough forms.
Step 5: Sprinkle flour to a clean surface and knead the dough thoroughly. Roll out the dough to the required thickness and cut out with a wooden roller or other cylindrical tool, such as a clean bottle.
Shaping and Baking
This is the fun part of making butter cookies. After laying out the dough, cut it into your preferred shape and size. Butter cookies are usually sliced into squares or rectangles. If you have kids and want to spice things up, you can use a cookie cutter with exciting shapes like dinosaurs and vehicles to cut out your cookies.
Furthermore, you can score the tops of the cookies to ensure even baking and prevent breakage. Place the cut-up cookie dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 – 20 minutes, or until the biscuit edges are golden brown. After baking, remove the baking tray to allow the cookies to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Conclusion
Inflation may try to affect the delightful small things in life, such as store-bought snacks. However, with a few basic ingredients laying around in your kitchen, you can make delicious treats for yourself and your kids.
