Step 1

Place the salted cherry blossoms in a bowl of cold water and set aside for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Drain the cherry blossoms gently and pat lightly with a towel to remove any excess water.

Step 3

Finely chop the cherry blossoms and set aside.

Step 4

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 5

Beat in the chopped cherry blossoms and vanilla extract.

Step 6

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix into the butter just until combined.

Step 7

Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until well chilled and firm, about 1 hour.

Step 8

Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line two baking sheets with parchment.

Step 9

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a sheet 1/3 inch (8 millimeters) thick.

Step 10

Cut the dough into shapes using desired cookie cutters. Transfer to prepared baking sheets 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart.

Step 11

Sprinkle granulated sugar over the tops of the cookies, if desired.

Step 12

Place the assembled cooking on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Step 13

Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and bake in preheated oven until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden, 12-15 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. If the cooking is uneven, switch and rotate the baking sheets halfway through the time.

Step 14

Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Step 15

Store the Cherry Blossom Shortbread Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.