Description
A simple, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie made with just five high-quality ingredients. This recipe yields crisp, crumbly cookies that are perfect for gifting or enjoying with tea.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cold but pliable
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Sea salt flakes, optional for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Take butter out of the fridge 30 minutes before starting; it should be cool but leave a slight indent when pressed.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar together using a hand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale yellow.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and salt until just combined.
- Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing on low speed. Mix only until the dough comes together into a cohesive mass; do not overmix.
- Form the dough into a log (about 2 inches in diameter) on plastic wrap, twist ends to seal, and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C) again if it cooled down. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Slice the chilled dough log into ½-inch thick rounds. Place on baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes if desired.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes until edges are very lightly golden but tops remain pale.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Butter temperature is critical; it must be cool but pliable. Do not overmix the flour to avoid tough cookies. Chill the dough thoroughly to prevent spreading. Shortbread continues to cook slightly after removal from the oven, so do not wait for browning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 60
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Protein: 1
Keywords: shortbread cookies, buttery cookies, easy baking, holiday gifts, gluten-free option, vegan option, simple dessert