Chai Shortbread Cookies

Wow, these were sooo good. I found this recipe in the December issue of Sunset magazine and of course I changed it up.
It took me all day to make these cookies...not really but it was one of those deals where first I had to re-organize my spice cupboard. Here's what it looked like on my kitchen table.

I had so much stuff to go through, sort out, repackage, compost...it seemed like it took all day. So my treat to myself was to make these cookies.

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tbsp. cinnamon powder
1 1/4 tsp. ginger powder
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. ground fennel seeds
( The original recipe called for leaves from one English Breakfast tea bag and 1 cup of white chocolate chips, I found both ingredients inappropriate and even slightly disgusting.)

1) Preheat the oven to 350 F, line two baking sheets with parchment.
2) Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla with a mixer until smooth.

3) Crush the fennel seeds in a mortar.
4) In another bowl mix together the flour, and spices.

5) Add the dry mixture into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until blended.
6) Roll a tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on the baking sheet about an inch apart.
7) Flatten them with a lightly floured glass or with cute little cookie stamps. They were one of the things I found when I was cleaning out my spice cupboard.

8) Bake 15-17 minutes, switching the trays halfway through the baking time, cookies are done when light golden on the bottom.
9) Transfer to a rack to cool. Serve with tea, coffee or ice cream !!
Here's how my cupboard looked after I cleaned it. Ooo ahhhh !!