Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies
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❄️ Baking in the Spirit of the Season
These vanilla bean shortbread cookies are made for chilly afternoons, twinkling lights, and warm mugs of tea. With rich butter and real vanilla, they bring a simple, timeless flavor that feels like the holidays. Perfect for cookie tins, gift boxes, or quiet moments by the tree. Crisp, tender, and beautifully nostalgic.
Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies
Yield: 12 to 18 cookies
2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (134 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
1 cup (227 g) unsalted cold butter, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Sparkling sugar or granulated sugar for sprinkling
Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line an 8x8-or 9x9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, pressing the sheet firmly into the bottom and up the sides, trimming as needed so it fits smoothly without wrinkles.
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt with a few quick pulses. Add the butter and vanilla paste, pulsing until the mixture forms fine, sandy crumbs. Continue pulsing just until a few larger clumps begin to form—stop before it becomes a smooth dough. The dough should remain crumbly, not fully blended.
Press the dough into the prepared pan, placing a piece of plastic wrap or parchment on top and pressing evenly until it forms a solid, uniform layer. Prick the surface all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown (30 to 40 minutes for a 9-inch pan or 40 to 50 minutes for an 8-inch pan). Remove from the oven and dust evenly with sparkling or granulated sugar. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Cut the cookies while still warm.
Chef Stacy Tip: Cut the cookies into squares, bars, or wedges to increase your yield and minimize waste. I like to use a bench scraper both for pressing the dough into the pan and for cutting clean, even pieces. If you don’t have a food processor, you can make the dough with a pastry blender or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Equipment List:
oven
food processor or pastry blender / stand mixer
8 or 9-inch baking pan
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