Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

If making in food processor:

Work with half of dough at a time. Measure half of the flour and sugar into a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse several times. Add half the butter (along with 1/2 of salt and/or extract if using) and pulse briefly three or four times to coat butter with flour. Continue to pulse in 8-second increments until the mixture begins to clump together. Remove to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

After both halves are combined, continue to work with hands until the majority of the crumbs are incorporated.

If making by mixer:

Add flour and sugar to a large bowl and mix. Add butter (along with salt and/or extract if using). Break butter down into very small crumb-like pieces. Remove from the bowl and working with fingers, continue to mix and knead together until a dough forms and the majority of the crumbs are incorporated. Some crumbs are fine. Keep at it and it will come together.

For both methods:

Spread dough onto a rimmed cookie sheet, 15x10x1″, breaking up dough clumps if necessary. To get as even as possible (it won’t and shouldn’t be perfect) use a butter wrapper or piece of lightly oiled parchment between your hand and the bottom of a glass or other utensil to lightly even out and flatten the shortbread.

Dock about 1 1/2 inches apart in rows. A larger serving fork works well for this.

Place in oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the shortbread has turned a very light golden color. Watch the edges and remove when edges pick up just a hint of golden brown color. The shortbread will be very pale.

Cut into bars while still warm. Most traditional bars are rectangles, longer than they are wide.

• For this amount of flour, one cup of rice flour can be subbed for a cup of the all purpose.
• Measure flour by stirring to lighten, then gently spoon into measuring cup and level off.
• Butter should be very cold. Cut into chunks, quartering each butter quarter the long way, then cutting across into 1/2″ pieces. If using food processor method, divide butter into two before cutting. If time allows, place in freezer for 10 minutes before continuing with the recipe. Save a wrapper to smooth the dough.
• Shortbread will be softer and more crumbly when first baked, but will crisp more after it cools completely and sits for awhile.