Lemon-Thyme Shortbread Cookies (1) Use room temperature butter. (2) Use your hands to mix. (3) Make sure you pat the mixture into an even depth to ensure even baking while keeping it rustic by free form patting. (4) Always start at the lowest cooking time to see how your oven bakes. (5) Turbinado sugar adds just the right amount of crunch when using corn flour versus corn meal.