Buttery Vanilla Shortbread
Classic shortbread that's intensely buttery and subtly sweet. Easy to make, stores well for cookie boxes, and my mom has been known to smuggle them out of my house in her purse to freeze and ration.
Ingredients
Ingredients (~25 small cookies)
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sanding sugar or other coarse sugar
Instructions
- Beat butter until creamy, then add sugars and salt. Mix 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla, mix briefly. Incorporate flour until just combined.
- Form dough into 2-inch wide log. Roll in sanding sugar, pressing gently.
- Wrap log in plastic and refrigerate 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Slice chilled log into 1/2-inch rounds. Space 2 inches apart on sheets.
- Bake 14-16 minutes, rotating pan halfway. Edges should be light golden.
- Cool completely on baking sheet.
Notes
Cookies are delicate when warm and will firm up while cooling.