Introduction
Welcome to my recipe for Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies! These delicious cookies are made with a simple combination of butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla bean. The result is a buttery, crumbly cookie that is perfect for any occasion. The addition of the vanilla bean adds a subtle sweetness and a hint of flavor that will make these cookies stand out from the rest. Enjoy!
Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies – Jessica Gavin
These Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies are a classic treat that are perfect for any occasion. The buttery, crumbly texture and subtle sweetness of the vanilla bean make these cookies a favorite. Jessica Gavin’s recipe is easy to follow and yields delicious results.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the flour and mix until just combined. The dough will be crumbly.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it comes together. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
- Place the logs on the prepared baking sheets and bake for 25 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Using a sharp knife, slice the logs into 1/2-inch thick slices. Place the slices back on the baking sheets and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.
These Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies are a delicious treat that are sure to please. Enjoy!
Delicious vanilla-flavored shortbread cookies made with only four ingredients! The perfect holiday cookie recipe to share with friends and family or give as a gift. Gluten-free flour can be easily substituted so everyone can enjoy it.
Looking for more holiday cookies? Try my hot chocolate chili cookie for a spicy surprise, crispy French palmier, or persimmon cookies for a seasonal flavor.
Table of Contents
December is a month-long celebration to honor the endless possibilities of the cookie. Pinwheels, snickerdoodles, peanut butter kisses, and gingerbread. I’m a big fan of simplicity, and shortbread cookies are one of my favorites during the holiday season. The buttery, crumbly texture that melts in your mouth is always a hit.
Some years ago, after an incredible experience dining at the French Laundry, they sent us home with a small silver box filled with rectangular-shaped shortbread cookies dusted with just a hint of sugar. They crumbled wonderfully with each bite, and they had just the right hint of sweetness. Needless to say, Chef Thomas Keller and his team created something amazing.
I was searching through my Ad Hoc at Home cookbook and found the recipe for those very same shortbread cookies, whoot! With only four ingredients, this is the easiest and best shortbread cookie recipe you will ever find.
What is the purpose of creaming?
Creaming takes place in a stand mixer which aerates the butter and sugar, allowing tiny pockets of air to be incorporated into the cookie dough. The air then acts as an insulator when baking to prevent the cookies from heating too rapidly and spreading. I prefer to use unsalted butter versus salted butter to control the amount of salt added to the recipe.
The result after baking is a beautiful and thick cookie that has a nice height and lift and holds its shape. During the creaming process, it’s best to use butter around 60°F (16ºC) so that the fat crystals can hold their shape and retain the air. If the butter is too warm, the cookie will become dense.
Flavor with vanilla
I’ve become obsessed with using vanilla bean paste since I tried it with my Danish butter cookies. The paste contains whole vanilla beans, and the speckles make the flavor pop and last longer with each bite. Using vanilla extract is okay. I love seeing the little flecks of real vanilla beans on the surface of each cookie.
Make the dough
These buttery shortbread cookies contain only four simple ingredients: butter, sugar, flour, and vanilla. There are no chemical leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder. Add the flour and mix until the dough clumps up but doesn’t turn into a ball.
Chilling firms up the butter
Transfer the dough to a work surface. Gently knead the pieces of dough together. Press it into a rectangular shape, about 1/2-inch thick, then tightly wrap it in plastic. This will make it easier to roll out after chilling. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. This firms up the butter fat to reduce cookie spread.
Ready to roll
After chilling, let the dough sit at room temperature for about 5 to 10 minutes. It’s difficult to roll when the butter is too firm. The dough is ready to roll when the edges don’t excessively crack and is malleable. I find it easiest to roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper to prevent sticking. Roll it out to 1/4-inch for thick cookies.
Cut out the cookies
For large cookies, until a 2 ½” round fluted cookie cutter. This will yield about 30 cookies. If you’d like, lightly indent a design in the center, like a heart, flute, or star. Don’t push all the way through!
Transfer them to paper-lined baking sheets, leaving 1″ space between them. Chill for another 15 minutes, then sprinkle some granulated sugar before baking.
Bake time
Bake the cookies at 350ºF (177ºC) for about 12 to 15 minutes. The cookies should be set on top and have a light brown color. You don’t want them to turn too brown, or they will be very crispy. Let them sit on the warm baking sheet for 5 minutes for gentle carry-over cooking. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the recipe gluten-free
I’ve made this shortbread cookie recipe countless times and even tested a gluten-free version. I used Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose 1:1 Baking Flour and noticed that the dough is less pliable and slightly more brittle as you roll it out. This is because there is no gluten in the recipe to develop and bind the ingredients together as it’s mixed.
The gluten-free cookie dough will still roll out nicely without cracking if you let it rest for a little while at room temperature after being chilled. Just be careful when transferring the cut-out cookies to the sheet pan. If you notice any cracks in the dough, wait a few more minutes until it feels more pliable yet cool.
Frequently asked questions
Both cookies contain a similar base; flour, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Butter cookies tend to have a higher ratio of sugar, making them sweeter and tender. They also contain eggs for leavening and binding, making the texture less crumbly compared to the shortbread texture.
Butter gives the best flavor to shortbread cookies. It has a creamy flavor with a hint of sweetness. Margarine is made from plant sources, which will have a more neutral taste.
English shortbread so not contain leaving agents, so the texture is more dense and crumbly. Scottish shortbread typically contains a leavening agent like baking soda or baking powder. This gives a lighter, crunchier cookie.
What is vanilla bean paste?
Vanilla bean paste is an excellent alternative to expensive whole vanilla beans. The paste combines vanilla extract and real vanilla seeds from the pod mixed with sugar, water, and tragacanth gum (a thickener). The concentrated flavors allow you to add more vanilla without thinning or diluting sauces and batters. Vanilla bean paste is a 1:1 replacement for vanilla extract. You can use one tablespoon of vanilla paste for one whole vanilla bean.
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Cream the Butter – In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar on low speed to combine, then increase to medium speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and mix in the vanilla.
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Fold in Flour – On the lowest speed, mix in the flour to combine, then increase the speed to medium until the dough begins to cling to the paddle and no longer looks dry. Do not wait for it to form a solid mass.
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Chill the Dough – Transfer the dough to a board and gently knead it together. Put the dough on a large piece of plastic wrap and shape it into a rectangle ½ to ¾” thick. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Roll Out the Dough – Let the dough soften slightly, so it does not crack or break on the edges when rolling, for about 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper to about ¼” thick.
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Cut Out Shapes – Using a 2 ½” round fluted cookie cutter, cut out about 30 cookies and transfer them to two parchment paper lined sheet pans, leaving 1″ space between cookies. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to allow the dough to chill before baking. Sprinkle the cookies with sugar.The remaining trimmings can be pressed together and re-rolled only once for additional cookies.
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Preheat the Oven – Set the oven racks to the lower-middle and upper-middle position. Preheat to 350°F (177ºC).
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Bake – Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, switching the position and rotating the sheets halfway through. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the sheet pan to firm the cookies up.
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Let Them Cool – Transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make Ahead: This dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 weeks; defrost frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator.
- Storing: Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Facts
Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 118
Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Saturated Fat 3g15%
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Potassium 21mg1%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 200IU4%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.