The #1 Holiday Cookie My Friends and Family Request Year After Year

Every holiday season I give out cookie boxes to my friends and family. Each box contains five or six different cookies, and while it’s hard to whittle it down to my favorite few, I almost always include a shortbread cookie. Shortbread is perfect for gifting, as it generally keeps well for several days.

I like to dress my shortbread cookies up a little with dark brown sugar and a sparkly sugar-coated exterior. For the past five years, I’ve included this shortbread in my boxes. They’re my ideal cookies: tender, with caramel notes from brown sugar, and are just salty enough. They are always a hit—so much so that my loved ones have started asking for the recipe. Read on for the techniques I use to make these cookies and for the full recipe. 

The Key Techniques for Making the Best Brown Sugar Shortbread

For shortbread that stays moister and fresher for longer, use brown sugar.

Shortbread is typically made with just butter, granulated sugar, flour, and salt. While classic shortbread cookies are delicious, their simplicity also means they're great for riffs. In my recipe below, I swap granulated sugar for dark brown sugar, which not only adds a deep butterscotch flavor, but also makes for a softer cookie. Brown sugar contains molasses; the thick syrup is hygroscopic—which means it draws moisture to itself—so these cookies stay fresh and moist for days.

Incorporate baking soda. This recipe contains baking soda, which is not typically found in shortbread. Here, baking soda reacts with the mildly acidic brown sugar, giving the cookies a subtle lift for a shortbread that’s lighter and more tender than the average shortbread. 

Roll the logs tightly. The best thing about the slice-and-bake method is that it doesn’t require any special equipment for shaping the cookies. There’s no need for a rolling pin or cookie scoop—you just have to form the dough into two logs, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate it. 

Slice-and-bake cookies can end up crumbly if the logs aren’t formed correctly, though, so the key to preventing your cookies from falling apart is to ensure the dough is rolled as densely as possible before you wrap it tightly in plastic. For the roundest possible cookies, roll each log of dough back-and-forth to even out the shape once they’re wrapped—the plastic will help hold everything in place. 

(If you want truly uniform, perfectly round cookies, you can also roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment until it’s a half-inch thick, chill it until firm, then use a round cutter to stamp out as many cookies as possible. It’s a method many pastry chefs use when making shortbread cookies, but since it’s slightly fussier, it’s not one I use in my recipe.)

Add some sparkle and crunch with sugar. Once the dough has chilled, all that’s left to do is slice the logs into half-inch thick rounds with a sharp knife, coat the cookies in sugar, and bake. While it's not essential, coating the cookies in granulated sugar before baking gives them a sparkly, crispy exterior. I also like to sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of flaky salt for a little pop of savoriness.  

The beauty of these little cookies lies in their simplicity. They’re easy to make, require only a few ingredients, and have a rich, butterscotch-y flavor. While these cookies are a staple of my holiday cookie boxes, they’re really wonderful any time of year—whether as a gift or to enjoy yourself along with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add flour, and mix on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Using a flexible spatula, scrape bowl and beater to make sure there are no streaks of unmixed dough, then knead lightly against sides of bowl. Halve the dough; place 1 portion of dough back into bowl.

On a cutting board or work surface, shape dough into a 1 1/2-inch wide log about 8 inches long and wrap tightly with plastic, twisting the ends of the plastic like a Tootsie Pop. Once wrapped, roll log under your hands in a back-and-forth motion to ensure log is smooth, even, and tight all around. Repeat with remaining dough. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Line two 13- by 18-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment; set aside.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 325°F (160ºC). Remove plastic wrap and set dough logs on a clean cutting board. Using a sharp chef’s knife, slice each dough log into rounds just shy of 1/2 inch; you should have 16 cookies per log. Place granulated sugar in a wide bowl. Dip each cookie in granulated sugar to lightly coat, then set on prepared baking sheets, taking care to leave about an inch of space between each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of flaky salt.

Bake 1 sheet of cookies until they have very slightly puffed and are matte and dry to the touch, about 15 minutes. (The cookies may still feel quite soft but will firm up as they cool.) Repeat with remaining baking sheet.

Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Variations

Try mixing in one cup total of coarsely chopped dark chocolate and/or nuts. For extra crunch, brush each log of dough with beaten egg, then roll the dough in sesame seeds or shredded coconut (instead of sugar) before slicing.

Special Equipment

Stand mixer, flexible spatula, parchment paper, bench scraper, plastic wrap, cutting board, sharp knife

Make-Ahead and Storage

To freeze unbaked cookies, lay sliced unsugared dough on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.  Freeze until solid. Transfer to an airtight container or resealable gallon-sized zip-top bag. Unbaked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

To bake frozen cookies, remove sliced cookies from freezer and arrange on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Let thaw slightly for 10 minutes, until cookies are still cold but no longer frozen. Dip each cookie in 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar to lightly coat, then set on prepared baking sheets, taking care to leave about an inch of space between each cookie. Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of flaky salt. 

Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw at room temperature.