Slice-and-Bake Shortbread Cookies

Name: Slice-and-Bake Shortbread Cookies
Total time: 5 h 5 min
Yield: 3 dz.
Ingredients: 2 c. all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled; 1/4 tsp. baking powder; 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 3/4 c. confectioners’ sugar; 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Choose one of the three flavors...or just make all of them!

By Torie CoxPublished: Oct 11, 2020

1 Rating

Jump to recipe

Becky Stayner

Yields:

3 dz.

Total Time:

5 hrs 5 mins

You can dress up this basic recipe for Slice-and-Bake Shortbread Cookies with all sorts of delicious additions. Choose one flavor variation—Chocolate-Sea Salt, Fruit-and-Nut, or Lemon—and follow the additional instructions below the main recipe. Of course, all three are delicious, but if you plan to make all of them, you will need to triple the base recipe to have enough dough.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Step 1 Whisk together flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Decrease mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until combined. Refer to variations below for optional ingredient additions.
2. Step 2Divide dough in half; shape each into a 7 1/2-inch-long, 1 3/4-inch-wide log. Cover logs with plastic wrap and chill at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
3. Step 3 Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice each log into 1/4-inch-thick cookies and place 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until edges are lightly golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
CHOCOLATE-SEA SALT COOKIES:
Finely chop 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate; stir into dough at end of step 1. Proceed with steps 2 and 3 as directed. After cookies have baked and cooled, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Microwave 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds; stir. Continue to microwave and stir in 10-second intervals until melted. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate and place on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt (such as Maldon). Refrigerate until chocolate is set, 10 to 15 minutes.

FRUIT-AND-NUT COOKIES:
Stir in 1/2 cup each chopped toasted nuts and dried fruit at end of step 1. Proceed with steps 2 and 3 as directed.

LEMON COOKIES:
Stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon zest at end of step 1. Proceed with step 2 as directed. Before slicing and baking cookies in step 3, roll logs in 1/2 cup yellow sanding sugar to coat.