Ingredients
- 1 cup European-style unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Make the Dough
In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter and cane sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks and vanilla bean paste and beat on medium speed until they’re just combined, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and cardamom, and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.
Shape the dough into a log, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Roll and Bake the Cookies
Once the dough has chilled, get your oven preheating to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Unwrap the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out until it’s about 1/4-inch thick.
Use a cookie cutter to cut out your shapes and place them on the baking sheet, about an inch apart – they won’t spread much.
If you want to be extra sure the cookies keep their shape, you can pop the whole baking sheet with the cut-out cookies into the freezer for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are just lightly golden.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for about 5 minutes before you move them to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.
The Best Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup European-style unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 2 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
Instructions
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy in stand mixer.
- Mix in egg yolks and vanilla bean paste until just combined.
- Add flour, salt, and cardamom, mix on low until dough forms.
- Shape into log, wrap in plastic, chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on floured surface.
- Cut shapes and place 1 inch apart on baking sheet.
- Optional: freeze cut cookies 10-15 minutes before baking.
- Bake 9-11 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool on pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
Notes
