Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies

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Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies are definitely rich and buttery, vanilla bean infused and literally melt-in-your-mouth cookies.  You can also have them dipped in sinfully Salted Dark Chocolate with a sprinkling of pecans.  Perfect for holiday baking! 

This shortbread cookie recipe is wonderful for the holidays and shortbread cookies are ALSO the perfect cookies for shipping.  The sandy, crumbly texture has been already dried out, so shortbread cookies will be as good on day 5 as they were fresh out of the oven. 🙂

When it comes to shortbread cookies, in general, the word “short” when used in cooking, applies to something with a high butter or fat content and a crumbling texture. Hence shortbread = buttery sweet biscuit.  YUM!

Ingredients You Need

  Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookie Recipe

• butter, softened
• vanilla extract
• vanilla bean paste
• powdered sugar
• salt
• all purpose flour

Salted Dark Chocolate Pecan Topping

• dark chocolate chips
• butter
• pecans, chopped

How to make Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350­°.
2. Using a mixer, cream butter, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, salt and confectioners sugar in a large bowl.
3. Add in flour and continue to mix until a soft dough forms, the mix will be dry and crumbly at first but will come together. I usually stop mixing half way through and start using my hands to work the dough together.
4. Tear off a large piece of parchment paper and scoop dough on to the parchment paper and make a log using the parchment paper to roll it up about 10 inches or so and then twist the ends of the parchment paper. Place in fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Take cookie dough out of fridge and slice ¼ to ⅓ inch and if you want you can roll the cookie edges in a sanding sugar if you wish.
6. Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 18-20 minutes or until edges are a golden brown and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
7. Once cookies have cooled, I place baked cookies in fridge for 10 minutes before dipping in chocolate.

These vanilla shortbread cookies with vanilla bean are amazing as a base recipe for any shortbread cookie! 

Add any flavored extracts, any chocolate flavors for drizzles or dipping, add-ins like almonds, pecans, chocolate chips, dried fruits, sprinkles or your favorite spices.

Storing Cookies

Store cookies for up to 5 days in a airtight container.

Enjoy baking up this vanilla bean shortbread cookie recipe any time with some delicious tea or coffee!

More Shortbread Cookies for the Holidays!

• Holiday Cranberry Orange Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies
• Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies!
• Homemade Pecan Sandies

Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies (Salted Dark Chocolate Pecan On Top Option too!)

Kim Lange

Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies are rich and buttery, vanilla bean infused melt-in-your-mouth cookies.  You can have these as is, which are most delicious and/or you can have them dipped in sinfully Salted Dark Chocolate with a sprinkling of pecans. 

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Ingredients

  

• 2 sticks butter 1 cup, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups all purpose flour - minus 2 tablespoons

Salted Dark Chocolate Pecan Topping

• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon butter
• ½ cup pecans chopped

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350­°.
• Using a mixer, cream butter, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, salt and confectioners sugar in a large bowl.
• Add in flour and continue to mix until a soft dough forms, the mix will be dry and crumbly at first but will come together. I usually stop mixing half way through and start using my hands to work the dough together.
• Tear off a large piece of parchment paper and scoop dough on to the parchment paper and make a log using the parchment paper to roll it up about 10 inches or so and then twist the ends of the parchment paper. Place in fridge for 30 minutes.
• Take cookie dough out of fridge and slice 1/4 to 1/3 inch and if you want you can roll the cookie edges in a sanding sugar if you wish.
• Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 18-20 minutes or until edges are a golden brown and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Once cookies have cooled, I place baked cookies in fridge for 10 minutes before dipping in chocolate.

Salted Dark Chocolate Pecan Topping

• Melt chocolate and butter in microwave in microwavable bowl for 30 seconds, stir, repeat again 2 more times.
• Dip tops of cookies or sides of cookies in melted chocolate, Sprinkle some sea salt on top of the chocolate and then sprinkle pecan bits and place on parchment paper.
• Let cookies set, or place in fridge for faster setup for 5 minutes.

Notes

If you want rolled cookies:
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until it's 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.
Cut out cookies using a 2 in round cookie cutter.

Other options:
Use white chocolate or milk chocolate and use sprinkles to make them festive!

Tried This Recipe?Let us know how it was by commenting below!