Posted Dec 22, 2023 Shortbread cookies are a testimony to the fact that there is so much beauty in simplicity. Recipes don’t have to be complicated to be amazing, and this shortbread recipe is delicious proof. Six common ingredients come together beautifully to make shortbread cookies that are buttery and perfectly sweet. They have crispy edges and chewy centers and are complete cookie perfection.
Shortbread Cookies Ingredients & Substitutions
Salted Butter. Unsalted butter can be used in place of salted butter. Granulated sugar. I recommend using organic cane sugar or white sugar. Egg yolks. There are no substitutes for egg yolks in this recipe. Vanilla extract. You can substitute up to ½ teaspoon of vanilla with different flavor extracts such as lemon, orange, peppermint, almond, etc. All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour. Fine sea salt. Use fine (not coarse) sea salt. If using iodized table salt, decrease the amount by half.
How to Make Shortbread Cookies
We’ll walk through this shortbread recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video! Begin by beating the butter and sugar for 1 minute, either in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer. Then, add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and salt and beat for an additional minute. Next, add the flour and beat until the mixture begins to clump together (60-90 seconds). Once the mixture clumps together, gather the dough and roll it into a log that is 2” in diameter (about 16 inches long). Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight). After chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mats. Then, slice the cookie dough into ½ inch thick circles. Then, evenly space the shortbread cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Once they’re on the baking sheet, bake them in the preheated oven for 11-12 minutes until the cookies look set and the bottom edges just barely start to turn brown. Let the shortbread cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve
If you are a shortbread purist, you will probably opt to serve them plain. However, you can also add icing or frosting to the cookies if you wish. Here are some suggestions:
Dip them in chocolate ganache or slather with chocolate buttercream frosting. Make them fruity with lemon glaze, lemon frosting or strawberry glaze. Make a simple vanilla glaze with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk and ½ tsp vanilla extract.
Store/Freeze
Store shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. You can also slice, then flash-freeze the cookie dough. Freeze it in an airtight container then thaw and bake fresh according to the recipe instructions. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
