Making Tea or Coffee Shortbread Cookies is an enjoyable and simple process. Follow these steps to create your batch:

1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add Flavoring: Stir in the vanilla extract and your choice of loose leaf tea or instant coffee granules.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the flour and salt to the mixture, blending until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Form the Dough: Gather the dough into a ball, then flatten it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes.
6. Roll Out the Dough: Once chilled, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness.
7. Cut Cookies: Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes or simply slice into squares. Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
9. Cool: Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Dust with Sugar (Optional): Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar for an elegant touch.

These steps will guide you in creating these incredible shortbread cookies effortlessly.