Spiced Orange Shortbread

Every year at Christmas time I make shortbread as gifts for friends and family. It's an easy and cost-effective way of being able to spread some Christmas cheer and to give gifts made with love.

To put a bit of a twist on the traditional shortbread, this year I threw in a couple of my favourite flavours to give it a more festive feeling - spiced orange!

This recipe is incredibly simple to make vegan (please see recipe notes), I made it with both traditional butter and vegan butter and both came out perfect and delicious.

Spiced Orange Shortbread

Ingredients:

250 grams butter

130 grams caster sugar

350 grams plain flour

80 grams rice flour

1 Tablespoon all spice

Juice and zest of half an orange

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C fan forced and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2.  Cut butter into small cubes. With an electric mixer on a medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3. Sift in flours and spice to the butter and sugar. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir through orange juice and zest until combined.

4. Roll out shortbread dough until about 1.5CM thick. Using cookie cutters, cut shortbread into portions. Move shortbread's onto lined baking trays.

5. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until biscuits have lightly browned.