If there’s one cookie recipe to have in your back pocket, this is it. This shortbread is so easy and so good, and it only has five ingredients. You can make the dough into various shapes rolling and cutting it, but I prefer classic (and super-simple) rounds cut into wedges. Feel free to add different flavorings to the dough, like grated lemon zest or cinnamon (2 grams or 1 teaspoon), or dunk the finished cookies in 6 grams (2 tablespoons) melted chocolate.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 16 cookies |
Ingredients
- 227 grams (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 106 grams (1/2 cup) packed light brown sugar
- 5 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 grams (3/4 teaspoon) fine sea salt
- Egg wash (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you want to make yourself a guide, use a 6-inch round cake pan or bowl to trace two circles onto the parchment, then turn the parchment over (so the ink won’t touch the dough). Or just wing it.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using a hand mixer), cream the butter and brown sugar on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and mix on low speed to combine. Scrape the bowl well. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed just until incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal portions (about 306 grams each) and shape into disks. Place one disk on one half of the prepared baking sheet and use your hands to flatten the dough into a 6-inch round. Repeat with the second disk, leaving 1/2 inch of space between the rounds. If using, brush a coat of egg wash onto the surface of each round.
- Use a sharp knife to score each round gently into 8 wedges–press down just enough to barely cut into the dough, to a depth of about 1/4 inch. Bake until the edges of the shortbread are just beginning to turn golden and the surface appears set, 12 to 14 minutes.
- Cool the shortbread completely on the baking sheet, then cut along the score lines into wedges.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 265 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Carbohydrates | 29 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Protein | 3 g |
| Cholesterol | 41 mg |
| Sodium | 102 mg |
Reviews
This shortbread is absolutely so delicious. It’s so buttery and molassesy and I’m really into this recipe. However, I gave this recipe four stars for two reasons. 1. Mine cooked for way longer than the recipes says. My shortbread baked for about 18 or so minutes. 2. The shortbread is a little hard to eat because it sticks to the roof of my mouth, making it not the easiest or most pleasant thing to enjoy. But overall this is a great recipe. Thanks Erin!