Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
These Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies are an amazing crisp and buttery shortbread with all the robust flavor of brown sugar. When you're looking for an easy shortbread recipe, but equally delicious, this cookie is it!
If you love shortbread, check out Kamut Flour Shortbread Cookies, Olive Oil Shortbreads, Sourdough Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, or Gluten Free Chocolate Peppermint Shortbread Cookies.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
- Ready In: 35 minutes
- Makes: 24 cookies
- Main Ingredients: salted butter, light brown sugar, all purpose flour
- Flavor Profile: buttery, brown sugar
- Dietary Info: eggless, no seed oils, gluten free swap available
- Difficulty: Easy!
- Why You’ll Love It: brown sugar twist on classic buttery shortbreads
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Buttery & Crisp: I love shortbread cookies because they are buttery and crisp! These are best if dipped in a glass of milk.
- Brown Sugar: While most shortbreads are made with cane sugar or powdered sugar, these are made with the addition light brown sugar. This gives them the flavor of a classic chocolate chip cookie but with the texture of a shortbread.
- Simple: This easy shortbread recipe combines butter, brown sugar, and flour for a simple cookie with minimal ingredients. So, when you want some quick, easy, and flavorful, this is it!
- Crowd Pleaser: Brown Sugar Shortbreads are a true crowd pleaser! This easy shortbread recipe has a nostalgic taste thanks to the butter and brown sugar with a buttery and crisp texture. Everyone will love this simple cookie.
Ingredients
- Butter: I use organic salted butter, but unsalted is fine if you add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the recipe. Also, check out Best Salted Butter for Baking for my top picks for butter when making shortbread cookies.
- Powdered Sugar: I use a mix of organic powdered sugar and light brown sugar to give them the best flavor and texutre.
- Light Brown Sugar: I use my homemade light brown sugar, but store bought also works. If you want an even more intense brown sugar flavor, you can use dark brown sugar too.
*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.
Baker's Tips
- Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Be sure to use softened butter, this is so crucial for shortbread cookies! I like to let my butter soften naturally out on the counter for the best results.
- Make sure to sift powdered sugar. This ensures there are clumps as you don't want those transferring to your cookies.
- Use high quality ingredients, especially butter! Shortbread cookies are made up mostly butter, so it really matters. And they have very few minimal ingredients so those ingredients really count.
- Feel free to add chocolate chips to the batter if you like, I'd do 142 grams.
- You can also add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if you are as obsessed with sweet and salty cookies as I am!
- Gluten Free — Replace the all purpose flour with 226 grams (scant 1 ½ cups) gluten free flour blend and 57 grams (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) organic coconut flour. I used the Namaste Organic Perfect Flour blend for testing.
- High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and edges.
How to Make Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no butter chunks. Add in the flour and mix on low until combined into a smooth dough, it should feel like play dough in your hands.
Step 3
Using your hands, roll the dough into 24 balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten them slightly so they are about 2 to 2-½ inches in diameter. Using a fork, poke them three times in the center.
Step 4
Bake for 18 to 21 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms and edges. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude baking instructions).
Recipe FAQ's
Yes, you can use dark brown sugar the recipe will work just fine. The color will be a bit darker and the flavor will be richer.
Yes, just add ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt to the flour.
Shortbreads are buttery and crisp so they are best stored in a cool dry place. Don't store in an airtight container as they can become soft.
Ways to Enjoy Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
- With a big glass of milk is always best!
- Have an afternoon snack with Iced Blueberry Latte or Berry Protein Smoothie Without Banana.
- Enjoy with Coconut Hot Chocolate, Chai Tea Hot Chocolate, or Caramel Hot Cocoa for a cozy evening treat.
- These also go really well with an evening cup of tea. They sorta remind me of tea biscuits I had with my mom growing up.
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Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Digital Food Scale
- Stand Mixer
- Half Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 226 grams salted butter (softened)
- 71 grams powdered sugar (sifted)
- 71 grams light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 255 grams all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no butter chunks.
- Add in the flour and mix on low until combined into a smooth dough, it should feel like play dough in your hands.
- Using your hands, roll the dough into 24 balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten them slightly so they are about 2 to 2-½ inches in diameter. Using a fork, poke them three times in the center.
- Bake for 18 to 21 minutes or until golden brown on the bottoms and edges. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
- Store in a cool dry place for up to 7 days.
Notes
- Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
- Be sure to use softened butter, this is so crucial for shortbread cookies! I like to let my butter soften naturally out on the counter for the best results.
- Make sure to sift powdered sugar. This ensures there are clumps as you don't want those transferring to your cookies.
- Use high quality ingredients, especially butter! Shortbread cookies are made up mostly butter, so it really matters. And they have very few minimal ingredients so those ingredients really count.
- Feel free to add chocolate chips to the batter if you like, I'd do 142 grams.
- You can also add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if you are as obsessed with sweet and salty cookies as I am!
- Gluten Free — Replace the all purpose flour with 226 grams (scant 1 ½ cups) gluten free flour blend and 57 grams (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon) organic coconut flour. I used the Namaste Organic Perfect Flour blend for testing.
- High Altitude — Bake at 350°F for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom and edges.
Nutrition
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These brown sugar shortbread cookies are more flavorful than classic shortbreads made with sugar! They’re so good!