These shortbread balls couldn't be easier — no chilling, rolling pin or finicky cutting needed!
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350F. Position racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Stir flour with salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter with 3/4 cup sugar until fluffy and smooth, 1 min. Stir in half of flour mixture, until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture, kneading dough with your hands to form a ball.
Stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Using your hands, roll dough into 1-in. balls. Roll balls in cinnamon-sugar until coated, then arrange 1 in. apart on prepared sheets. Bake in top and bottom thirds of oven, switching sheets halfway through, until balls have set, 15 to 17 min. Leave on sheet for 5 min, then transfer balls to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.
Originally published in the Today’s Parent December 2016 issue. Photo by Roberto Caruso.