2tablespoonscoarsesparkling white sugar (for sprinkling on top)
You can use regular white sugar if you can't find the coarse, sparkling white sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°.
With electric stand mixer, beat butter until creamy.
Gradually add in 1 cup of sugar.
Add in flour and mix until mixture is well combined (Will be somewhat crumbly.)
Press dough into parchment lined 11" X 17" jelly roll pan (with sides).
Sprinkle with the sparkly, coarse white sugar and gently press into the dough.
Bake at 375° for 18-20 minutes or until just turning golden brown.
(You can also use a 10" X 14" jelly roll pan, and that will take just a little longer to bake, closer to 25 minutes.)
The key is to watch shortbread closely and when it is just turning golden brown, remove from the oven.
Cut into uniform shortbread "fingers" immediately after removing from the oven.
(Shortbread is somewhat crumbly when cool, and so it cuts much better when it's hot from the oven.)
A trick I use to cut the shortbread evenly, is to get out my ruler.
I cut the whole pan in half lengthwise and widthwise.
Then I cut each quadrant in half, and then cut uniform "fingers" from that.
Notes
I wore disposable gloves when pressing the dough into the parchment-lined pan and for pressing the coarse sugar into the dough. That way the dough doesn't stick to my hands.