Vanilla Shortbread Cookies
Yield: 12-24 Cookies
Ingredients:
- 8 oz. unsalted butter, soft
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla pod
- 2 ½ cup + 2 tbsp. all purpose flour
- ½ tbsp..kosher salt
- 1 egg yolk
- Granulated sugar for coating
Added tip:
Save your scraped vanilla pod! It can be dried out and then placed in a container of granulated sugar for vanilla scented sugar! or better yet, grind it up in a coffee grinder and then mix into your sugar for an even more intense vanilla flavor
Procedure:
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment begin to cream the butter and sifted powdered sugar until combined; do not make this too fluffy as it will make the final product very crumbly and hard to manage
- Scrape the “caviar” from the vanilla pod and add to the butter and sugar mixture, mix to combine
- Mix in the salt and the egg yolk; scrape down your bowl and mix again if necessary
- Add the all purpose flour and mix the dough just until it comes together
- Roll the dough into one or two logs depending on how big you would like your cookies to be; roll in parchment paper or plastic wrap
- Place the rolled dough in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to rest
- Preheat your oven to 350 f and set up baking trays with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, also set up a bowl of granulated sugar, about one cup
- Remove dough from the fridge and using a sharp knife cut slices that are ½” thick; roll the top and sides of cut cookies in granulated sugar then place on baking tray
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly golden brown, rotating halfway through baking to ensure even coloring
- Allow to cool slightly then transfer to a wire rack to finish