This Brown Butter Shortbread is melt-in-your-mouth scrumptious and solely makes use of three easy components. These indulgent cookies are so wealthy and buttery, you’ll by no means return to store-bought shortbread once more!
This basic shortbread recipe is tremendous easy, making these cookies excellent for a cookie trade or vacation social gathering. These are the most effective cookies and certainly one of my favorites to make for Christmas. The dough is usually a little finicky should you’re new to shortbread, however should you comply with my ideas, your cookies will come out excellent each time!
Welcome to 2025’s 12 Days of Cookies!
These Brown Butter Shortbread are Day 8 of our 12 Days of Cookies!
Make sure you take a look at the entire different days for extra goodies!
Day 1 – Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Day 2 – Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Day 3 – Chai Biscotti
Day 4 – Haystacks
Day 5 – Cherry Pie Bars
Day 6 – Cookies and Cream Cookies
Day 7 – Cranberry Orange Cookies
Day 8 – You’re on it!
Day 9 – Buckeye Cookies
Day 10 – Ricotta Cookies
Day 11 –
Day 12 –
What’s Brown Butter?
Browned butter is actually butter that’s cooked past the melting level till it darkens and begins to caramelize. It offers a splendidly nutty, wealthy taste that provides depth to your recipes. I really like to make use of it in baking, particularly when paired with heat spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
On this shortbread recipe, brown butter will elevate the flavour of the cookie with out including some other components, holding shortbread true to its basic taste profile.
Brown Butter Shortbread Elements
All shortbread makes use of the identical three components, and this recipe isn’t any completely different! You want the next issues:
- Butter (room temperature)
- Granulated white sugar
- All-purpose flour
That’s it! There are not any leavening brokers like baking soda or powder, and that’s intentional. Some folks add a teaspoon of vanilla extract so as to add just a little extra taste, however purists will preserve to the fundamentals!
See the recipe card beneath for detailed ingredient quantities and directions.
make Home made Brown Butter Shortbread
- Plan forward! Set out your butter for Half-hour to 1 hour earlier than baking to return to room temperature. This may guarantee it melts evenly because it browns. You then’ll want one other hour to let it solidify to make use of within the recipe.
- Brown the Butter: Use a medium saucepan or skillet to soften butter over medium-high warmth, stirring continually with a picket spoon or rubber spatula. (A dark-bottomed pan makes it tougher to see the colour of the butter). As soon as the butter melts, proceed to prepare dinner it till golden brown with a nutty aroma. Instantly take away the melted butter from the warmth and pour it right into a heat-proof bowl. Refrigerate the butter for one hour to solidify earlier than persevering with.
- Put together the Pan: Preheat the oven to 350 levels F and line an 8×8 inch sq. pan with parchment paper.
- Make the Dough: In a medium bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the brown butter and sugar on medium pace till lighter in colour and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and blend on low pace till simply mixed, being cautious to not overmix. I really like to make use of my arms to essentially incorporate the flour.
- Press the Dough: Switch the dough to the ready pan and press it evenly into the underside of the pan. It might look like there isn’t sufficient, however you need to have the ability to unfold it to all sides.
- Bake Shortbread: Prick the highest of the shortbread cookie dough throughout with the tines of a fork. Evenly rating the dough into 16 bars with a pointy knife to make chopping simpler later. Then bake for 50-60 minutes till frivolously golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 20-Half-hour, then take away the bars utilizing the parchment paper and thoroughly lower alongside the scored strains.
Ideas for Superb Shortbread
- In case your shortbread dough appears crumbly, work it along with your arms. That actually helps it come collectively.
- Carry the brown butter again to room temperature as soon as solidified to make it simpler to include into the cookie dough.
- Don’t roll the dough out- simply use your arms to press it out and preserve it from crumbling aside.
- Use a kitchen scale to measure your flour in grams (120 g= 1 cup) to make sure you’re utilizing the correct quantity. Additionally, ensure to stir your flour earlier than spooning it out as it is going to decide on the shelf.
- You should use a spherical cookie cutter or Christmas shapes for shortbread cookies as an alternative of bars if desired! Bake these on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Recipe Variations
Sugar: Mud completed cookies frivolously with powdered sugar for added sweetness, or sprinkle some turbinado sugar as they arrive out of the oven.
Spices: Add heat seasonal spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for some spiced shortbread.
Citrus: Add orange or lemon zest.
Add-ins: Stir in chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, or dried fruit for added taste and texture.
Dipping: Dip half of the cookies in melted chocolate as soon as cool!
Sandwich: Sandwich two cookies round your favourite jam or filling!
FAQs
How do you retailer Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies?
Shortbread doesn’t must be refrigerated. Retailer it in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as per week.
Can I make these prematurely?
Sure! In case you love to do your vacation baking early, these are a terrific alternative. Make and freeze them following the instructions beneath, then simply thaw them earlier than serving or gifting them.
You can even simply make the dough, then wrap it properly in plastic wrap and preserve it within the fridge for as much as per week. When you’re able to bake, let it heat up sufficient to press into the pan and bake as directed.
Are you able to freeze Shortbread Bars?
Sure, this shortbread cookie recipe freezes splendidly! As soon as the shortbread is totally cool, put the cookies in an hermetic container with a layer of parchment paper in between layers, or in a freezer bag. Freeze for as much as 3 months. Thaw at room temperature earlier than serving.
How are these completely different from sugar cookies?
Sugar cookies sometimes use eggs, whereas shortbread doesn’t. The ratio of components can be completely different. Shortbread has the next ratio of butter to flour, so is often extra tender and crumbly.
Ought to I take advantage of Salted or Unsalted Butter?
You should use both one on this recipe.
In search of Extra Straightforward Recipes?
These 3-ingredient recipes are excellent for the busy vacation season!
- 3-Ingredient Pretzel Hugs– Candy chocolate and salty pretzels are the right mixture, and you may make a complete tray of those little treats very quickly!
- 3 Ingredient Whipped Cream– Whether or not you’re topping off a slice of pumpkin pie, a no-bake dessert, a scorching cup of cocoa, or just indulging in a spoonful straight from the bowl, selfmade whipped cream is an opulent deal with that’s surprisingly straightforward to make.
- 3 Ingredient Peppermint Bark– This straightforward sweet bark with white chocolate, darkish chocolate, and a contact of peppermint is a good reward for everybody in your checklist.
- 3 Ingredient Grape Jelly Meatballs– With only some easy components and hardly any prep, these meatballs are the right appetizer for a vacation social gathering, tailgates, and sport day gatherings!
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies– They’re the right factor to make if you want one thing candy to eat or have little ones wanting a fast snack.
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Brown Butter Shortbread
This Brown Butter Shortbread is melt-in-your-mouth scrumptious and solely makes use of three easy components. These indulgent cookies are so wealthy and buttery, you’ll by no means purchase store-bought shortbread once more!
Forestall your display from going darkish
Directions
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Earlier than beginning, lower butter into tablespoons and got down to come to room temperature at the very least Half-hour – 1 hour earlier than beginning. This may ensure it melts evenly because it browns.
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Soften butter in a medium light-colored skillet over medium-high warmth whereas stirring continually. If utilizing a darkish bottomed pan, it could be troublesome to see the butter browning which might lead to in burning. Because it cooks, the butter solids will start to a golden brown whereas emitting a nutty aroma. As soon as golden, instantly take away from range to cease cooking, and pour right into a heat-proof bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour for it to solidify earlier than persevering with.
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Preheat oven to 300°F and line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment.
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In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar till gentle, about 2-3 minutes.
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Add flour and blend till simply mixed, being cautious to not overmix.
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Press the dough evenly into the ready baking pan. It might not appear as if there may be sufficient dough, however it is possible for you to to unfold it to the edges.
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Prick the highest of the dough throughout with the tines of a fork. Evenly rating into 16 bars with a knife, in order that it’s simpler to chop when cooled.
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Bake for 50-60 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack and let it cool for 20-Half-hour earlier than eradicating the bars from the pan with the parchment. Lower alongside scored strains.
Notes
- Don’t depart the butter unattended because it cooks as a result of it might burn. It may possibly go from golden brown to burnt rapidly, so control it.
Vitamin
Energy: 91kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fats: 6g | Saturated Fats: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 1g | Trans Fats: 0.2g | Ldl cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.4mg
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