Sugar Cookies VS Shortbread

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25 Jun 2014, 5:43 pm

There are many different types of cookies that come in this way; light in colour, with vanilla and/or butter flavours. As someone who has lived in a few parts of the world, It seemes to me that everyone has a preference when it comes to these cookies depending on where one was born and raised. In this thread, I am focusing on sugar cookies and shortbread.

As a small child visiting my Grand Parents in Canada, I remember my Grandmother offering me something new. It was a shortbread cookie. I took a bite, then the angels started to sing! It was beautiful... *sniff

While living in the United States, I have noticed that shortbread does not seem to be popular. I would make some to share at gatherings, and the people (especially those my age or younger) would not eat much of it. Sugar cookies seem to replace shortbread in the US.

They are quite different in taste and texture. Sugar cookies come in a range of crunchy to chewy because of eggs, and shortbread has a texture of it's own: it crumbles, then melts in your mouth; also, they have no eggs in them. Sugar cookies are usually vanilla flavoured, and shortbread is mainly buttery, yet may or may not have vanilla.

I am interested in knowing if I am right or not with this observation from this poll. Also, I would like to know about what your favourite kind of cookie is in this thread. It could be one of these two, or another kind. Have a great day!

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Last edited by HarmonySeptember on 25 Jun 2014, 7:12 pm, edited 2 times in total.

KB8CWB
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25 Jun 2014, 6:52 pm

Born and raised American but shortbread all the way!! Most of my relatives are from the UK and I lived and worked in Canada for a few years.

Edit: And since you like shortbread cookies, I'd bet you'd love English Butter Cookies!! My grandma was born and raised in the UK but lived with us whilst growing up. Those were much on the order of the shortbread but different and just as good!

kraftiekortie
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25 Jun 2014, 6:54 pm

Don't they call cookies "biscuits" in the UK?

KB8CWB
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25 Jun 2014, 7:02 pm

kraftiekortie wrote:

Don't they call cookies "biscuits" in the UK?

I think they are but she had been in the US 45 years by the time I was born. She was likely corrupted and purposely lost her accent but I forgot the reason why she decided to. All of her friends from the UK (they had some sort of club of expats) still mostly kept their accents however.

HarmonySeptember
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25 Jun 2014, 7:05 pm

KB8CWB wrote:

Born and raised American but shortbread all the way!! Most of my relatives are from the UK and I lived and worked in Canada for a few years.

Edit: And since you like shortbread cookies, I'd bet you'd love English Butter Cookies!! My grandma was born and raised in the UK but lived with us whilst growing up. Those were much on the order of the shortbread but different and just as good!

I bet I would.

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HarmonySeptember
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25 Jun 2014, 7:08 pm

KB8CWB wrote:

kraftiekortie wrote:

Don't they call cookies "biscuits" in the UK?

Actually, I am a military brat. I just keep some things on here a secret for security reasons.

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KB8CWB
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25 Jun 2014, 7:12 pm

<------ Ex squidly here, MANY years ago

I nosed around and this sounds pretty close to the recipe. I can scrounge around and see if I can find her exact recipe was so good!!

Butter Cookies

alpineglow
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25 Jun 2014, 7:22 pm

Quote:

I am interested in knowing if I am right or not with this observation from this poll. Also, I would like to know about what your favourite kind of cookie is in this thread. It could be one of these two, or another kind. Have a great day!

Shortbread cookies are the best. I am American but I don't care for sugar cookies.

My favorite cookie is actually two which are tied for first place. They are: old fashioned almond shortbread (a Viennese recipe), and chewy oatmeal raisin but made with tiny currents instead of raisins.

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25 Jun 2014, 8:28 pm

I like both.Most people make their sugar cookies too sweet.I have a Swedish sugar cookie recipe that has the sugar/ butter ratio just right,I use almond extract instead of vanilla.
I also have the recipe for ANZAC biscuits,very healthy and they keep forever.
Let's not forget gingersnaps made with molasses.I want to make a banana pudding using them instead of vanilla wafers,maybe sprinkle some dark choclate chips on the top.

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Kiprobalhato
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