Eleanor Rycraft's
Cookie Stamp Shortbread
Mrs Rycraft’s delicious shortbread recipe has been prized by
happy Rycraft customers for over 50 years to celebrate the holidays!
Ingredients
1 or more Rycraft cookie stamps
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
4 cups flour
Method
Cream butter and sugar thoroughly. This is important as the dough can flake off when stamping if not creamed well. Add flour gradually, one cup at a time – mixer may be used – and mix until well blended(do not overmix).
Option 1: Press in 9” x 15” jelly roll pan. Stamp in rows with cookie stamp. Bake at 325°F for 35-40 minutes. Cut in squares when hot from the oven. Dough may also be rolled and cut in squares or with round cutter and stamped.
Option 2: Roll into one-inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Stamp with warm cookie stamp. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until very lightly browned, but not brown on top.
Your Comments on This Recipe
2/12/12 Form: Comment on a Recipe
Recipe: Rycraft Cookie Stamp Shortbread, with my own adjustments
3 or 4 tries before I got it to work for me and, at an altitude of 6,500 feet, I preheated the oven to 350º F, then lowered to to 325º when I put in the cookies.
It took some trial and error to get these cookies to come out the way I liked them, but it was worth the effort. I modified the recipe by using less butter (1 1/4 cups), adding 1 tsp gluten, and 3 TBSP ice water. I found that the impressions came out clearer when the dough was only cool, not cold. This way, there were no “lumps,” and the dough ball was uniformly smooth.
I used a dab of vegetable oil on the stamp and brushed it into the crevices with a new dry toothbrush, then wiped with a paper towel to remove any excess. You need to slowly and gently lift the stamp while holding down the edge of the cookie. Works every time!
In order to turn these into Valentines, I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter after stamping. To paint, I dissolved Wilton Color Dust in a drop or two of vodka, and used a very small natural bristle paint brush. With good lighting, a stady hand, and some practice, you’ll get it right!
Hope you like these. I have gotten rave reviews from my recipients. Can’t wait to order more stamps for Easter.
Denise A
Park City, Utah
2/22/13 Form: Cookie Photo Submissions
Recipe: Mrs. Rycraft’s Cookie Stamp Shortbread
Second time I have tried to make these. I added 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Paste instead of vanilla extract. The flecks of vanilla bean remind me of grains of sand. I used a stamp dipped in sugar. I was so excited to come across your stamp. I have had this idea for several months just waiting for a cookie stamp. I use these cookies for gifts and fmaily treats.
Elizabeth A
Katy, Texas
3/3/13 Reply to Comment
Dear Tamara,
Thank you for your comments on the recipe. I am so sorry you had so much trouble, but at least the cookies taste good, even when the design melts away in the oven. This has become a problem in the last 15 years or so as we’ve seen so many changes to butters and flours, which changes the way cookies turn out… also altitude, humidity, room temperature, etc. are also factors. Baking is not as easy as other kinds of cooking, I understand.
We have many recipes on our website – this one is the all time favorite of our customers:
Eleanor Rycraft’s Almond Butter Cookies
Well, I hope this helps. Pleaes feel free to call if you want to ask Robin any questions, and please look at our website for recipe tips.
Best regards,
Carol Rycraft
2/28/13 Form: Comment on a Recipe
Recipe: Mrs. Rycraft’s Cookie Stamp Shortbread
The dough would not hold together – it flaked apart & would not roll into a ball. What did I do wrong? I would love some tip — I tried it twice & had to throw it out both times.
Tamara S
Santa Barbara, California
4/2/14 Reply to Comment
Dear Kathleen,
Thank you for the Comment on a Recipe form you submitted on March 20th. I apologize for not getting back to you sooner.
I am sorry you have had difficulty with the designs melting away in the oven. That has become a common problem in the last 20 years or so as the flours, butters, and other products have changed significantly in content… so there are more variables involved which make baking a challenge. However, we have lots of comments and suggestions on this website under
and
I think the most popular recipe by far is Robin’s mom’s Almond Butter Cookie recipe found in our recipe booklet:
Mrs. Rycraft’s Almond Butter Cookies
I hope this helps.
Best regards,
Carol Rycraft
3/20/14 Form: Comment on a Recipe
Recipe: Mrs Rycraft’s Cookie Stamp Shortbread
Loved the taste of the cookies, but the design did not come out well. I was not happy with the results. I have 2 jelly roll pans, but neither are 9×15, one is slightly larger, the other slightly smaller. Which one should I use? Also, the dough was so dry and crumbly. I had to really push it into the pan, so when I went to stamp, there was not really any give left in the dough, and the design did not come out well. How can I make the design come out better?
My evaluation of this recipe: Good.
Additional comments: Flavor is great! and I will definitely make again. Love the ease of it, but I want a square cookie with a crisp design. Will test the recipe again.
Kathleen L
Amesbury, Massachusetts
6/15/23 email:
Dear Robin and Carol,
I made your delicious shortbread recipe using your DAR cookie stamp along with some sugar cookies, all patriotically decorated for a DAR chapter celebrating their 100th anniversary.
They were delighted by these cookies and happy to take home your cookie recipe brochures. Thank you for sending me the 35 brochures….they were very popular with these lovely ladies.
This was my first time making shortbread cookies so I very much appreciated your recipe instructions that were perfect.
Appreciatively,
JoAnne