This incredible Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookie recipe is based on my buttery classic shortbread cookie recipe, but uses dark brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. The molasses in the dark brown sugar produces a wonderful blend of toffee and caramel, making these cookies so good they'll disappear fast. They’re soft and tender, and if you like your cookies a little salty, sprinkle the top with flaky sea salt.
Why You’ll Love This Brown Sugar Version of Classic Shortbread Cookies
The really cool thing about these brown sugar shortbread cookies is that the brown sugar contributes a super warm, caramel-like flavor to the finished cookie recipe. They are just as EASY as my original recipe, and that depth that the brown sugar gives them? They're so good, I didn't have to worry about leftovers.
In testing, I used both light and dark brown sugar, and both work wonderfully, but there’s a nuance in flavor. Using dark brown sugar yields cookies with a more robust molasses flavor, and slightly less sweet, than light brown sugar, which produces a slightly lighter, more caramel-leaning flavor. Either brown sugar is fine but I like dark brown sugar.
Two of my other favorites that pack a lot of flavor are my vanilla shortbread and the brown sugar pecan cookies.
Why the Details Matter
This is an easy, beginner baker-friendly shortbread cookie recipe. The dough is a cinch to make, and the slice-and-bake concept is easy to execute. My advice for this recipe is that accuracy is key. With simple recipes like this, getting the amount of ingredients just right and using quality ingredients is crucial for success.
My shortbread cookie recipes are known for holding their shape. My no-spread shortbread results in the perfect rounds and even-edged cookies that look stunning on any platter. If you want to try cutting these cookies into different shapes, this cookie dough will work very well.
Brown Sugar Shortbread Ingredients
This brown sugar shortbread recipe is made with 6 simple ingredients and each plays a key role in the texture and flavor.
- Dark Brown Sugar: You can use either dark brown or light brown sugar in my brown sugar shortbread recipe, but I recommend dark brown sugar for the best flavor. They will produce a slight difference in flavor: rich caramel and vanilla notes from light brown sugar or a more robust molasses flavor from dark brown sugar.
- Unsalted Butter: You want the butter to be at room temperature so that it will cream evenly with the sugar. Salted butter also works in this recipe and pairs well with the caramel flavor of the brown sugar.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: This is a great flavor pairing for brown sugar. You can also use pure vanilla extract.
- Ground Nutmeg: This is an optional addition to give the cookies a warm, spiced flavor. I wouldn’t add more than a ¼ teaspoon. Don’t use too much or it will overpower the caramel and molasses notes of the brown sugar.
- Turbinado Sugar: The outside of the cookie is coated with turbinado or raw sugar (or other coarse sugar). It gives the edges of the cookie a nice little crunch when they’re baked.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
For the best results weigh the ingredients and have fun making these shortbread cookies. They are so delicious.
Step 1: Place brown sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla bean paste in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the mixture is combined and smooth.
Step 2: Mix the ingredients until creamy
Step 3: Add all of the flour and mix on low speed until just combined
Step 4: Mix on medium until the dough comes together in large, soft pieces that are easy to handle.
Step 5: Divide the dough into two equal pieces. Lightly flour your work surface. Place one piece on the floured surface, press it into a rough rectangle about 1 inch thick, then gently roll it into a log.
Step 6: Wrap each cookie dough log in wax paper and twist the ends of the wax paper like a candy wrapper to secure the log.
Step 7: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. This helps the cookies hold their shape when baking.
Step 8: Remove one cookie dough log from the fridge. Unwrap the cookie dough and leave it on the wax paper. Sprinkle then lightly press the brown sugar onto the surface of the log.
Step 9 : Slice the dough into even rounds. You can place up to 12 cookie rounds on one cookie sheet.
Step 10: Bake the cookies until lightly golden brown. Cool them on a wire rack until completely cooled.
How to Serve and Store These Cookies
The cookies are magic while they’re still slightly warm from the oven. The subtle caramel flavor of these brown sugar shortbread cookies is a perfect accompaniment for a cup of strong black tea like Assam or Earl Grey. They’re also extra tasty with your morning cup of coffee. If you like to dunk your cookies in your hot drinks, this is the cookie to do it with!
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container. They will keep for up to 10 7 days.
How to Freeze Baked Cookies
If you have leftover cookies (rare, but it happens) freezing them is a great way to keep them fresh and enjoy them for longer.
- Cool Completely: Completely cool the baked cookies before freezing. Freezing warm cookies can cause condensation which leads to ice forming on the cookies. Let them sit on a wire rack for at least an hour if you're freezing them right away.
- Flash Freeze: Place the baked cookies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for an hour, or until firm.
- Package in a Container: Put the cookies in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Add a layer of parchment or wax paper between the layers of cookies if you're stacking them in a container or bag to keep them from sticking.
- Label and Store: Label the container with the date to keep track of when you stored the cookies. Baked shortbread cookies freeze well for up to 2 months.
- Thawing the Cookies: Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature for about an hour before serving.
More Shortbread Cookies to Bake
Shortbread is so versatile and can be infused with endless amazing flavors. Here are some of my favorites.
Tips for Making Good Shortbread
Shortbread cookies are easy to make and perfect when you want a little something sweet. But because they have so few ingredients, they’re also easy to mess up. Here are my tips for making delicious shortbread cookies:
- Use great-tasting butter. The butter shines through in these cookies so you want to make sure the butter tastes good. My favorites are Kerrygold and Tillamook.
- Weigh your ingredients. I know, but these cookies rely on a 3-2-1 ratio to get that perfect texture and keep their shape. And when you’re spending $6 a pound for butter, a kitchen scale is a good investment to ensure you get it right.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your shortbread cookies tough.
- Chill the dough. The great thing about this shortbread cookie recipe is that they don’t require a long chill time to achieve that perfect shape.
- Have fun! If you have fun baking these cookies, you and your friends will love eating them.
If you make delicious cookies please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Slice and Bake Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 4 ounces (114 grams) dark brown sugar light brown sugar can also be used
- 8 ounces (227 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 12 ounces (340 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
Topping
- 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar or turbinado sugar
Instructions
Make the Cookies
- Measure out all the ingredients before you start mixing them together.
- Place the brown sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla bean paste in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and mix on medium speed until the mixture is thoroughly combined and smooth about 2 minutes.
- Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl, and add all the flour at once. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix until all the flour is just combined. The dough will be crumbly at this point. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix until the dough has come together into large pieces. The dough should be soft and easy to handle.
- Divide the dough into two pieces, each weighing about 340 grams. Lightly flour a clean working surface. The flour will prevent the dough from sticking as you shape it. Place one portion of the dough on the floured surface and gently press it into a rough rectangular shape, about 1 inch thick. Now, with your hands, start to gently roll the dough back and forth, applying even pressure. As you roll, the dough will begin to lengthen and form a log shape.
- Continue rolling and shaping the dough until it forms a smooth, uniform log about 1-1/2 in diameter. If the dough starts to crack, don't worry! Just gently press it back together. Once you're happy with the shape of your log, wrap it in wax paper.
- Cut a sheet of wax paper that is long enough to wrap around the log with a little extra for overlapping. Place the log 2 inches from the long edge of the wax paper. Bring the long edge of the paper together over the top of the dough and smooth it so there are no gaps. Roll the log in the wax paper. You may need to occasionally stop and pull the wax paper tight if any gaps form. Twist the ends of the wax paper like a candy wrapper to secure the log. Repeat this process with the second portion of dough. Now your dough logs are ready for chilling
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and for up to 2 days. Chilling the dough will help the cookies hold their shape when baking.
Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line a half baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove one log of cookie dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap the cookie dough and leave it on the wax paper. Sprinkle, the lightly press the sugar into the surface of the log.
- Use a ruler to mark the log every 1/2-inch for cutting the cookie log. Slice the dough into rounds. Please up to 12 cookie rounds on a prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake the cookies for 17-20 minutes. The bottom of the cookies will be lightly golden brown.
- Take the cookies out of the oven and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes on the cookie sheet before moving them to a cookie rack to completely cool.
- At this point the cookies are ready to eat.
Storage
- Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
How to Freeze Unbaked Cookie Dough
- Once your cookie dough logs are securely wrapped in wax paper, you can freeze them to bake later. First, chill them in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so the log is firm.
- Place the wrapped logs in a large freezer bag or airtight container. This freezer bag will help prevent freezer burn and keep your dough fresh. Make sure to squeeze out as much air as possible from the freezer bag before sealing it tightly. Lay the bag flat in the freezer. This will help the logs maintain their shape and prevent them from getting squished by other items in your freezer.
- Shortbread cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake, take a log out of the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight until it's firm but pliable enough to slice. Slice and bake according to the recipe instructions. Add a minute or two to the baking time to account for the dough being chilled.
Darai Voss Roundy says
I have a question. I am looking at the brown sugar shortbread cookie recipe. Step nine of the Photos steps, the cookies are sliced and are very flat across the top. In step 10 and in all of your finished images, there’s a slight ridge around the outside of the cookie. Are you finding a perfectly size flat bottom glass to press into the cookie tops to make this little ridge? It looks great and you have it in all of your shortbread recipes, but I don’t yet see any instruction on how to make this little bridge around the outside of the cookies cirque
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Darai
The ridge was not intentional, but I thought about your question. I think the ridge forms because as the cookie rises, the edges set first while the center continues to bake and sets later. I think is more pronounced on the brown sugar cookie because of the additional moisture that's in brown sugar and not in granulated sugar.
Darai says
WOW!
A reply on the same day from YOU? Actual really YOU? Geez. You just made my week!
I’ll think about what you said tomorrow over coffee, but right now I’m pretty jazzed about a personal reply- I’m probably going to print this and hang it in my kitchen-
Thanx Miss Cheryl, seriously-
Darai
Ventura, California
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Darai
You are so sweet! This reply definitely made my day. I'm always happy to answer any of your baking questions.😁
Jenni James says
OMIGAAAA! I found my Grandma’s cookies! Funny Story! I baked off these cookies yesterday morning for my First Christmas Party of the New Year! I was pretty overwrought although less so than other years. But when I first took them out they were too light so I put them back in the oven. What seems to happened next was a completely and utter miracle! About an hour and a half later I was looking for those cookies. Where had I put them!? I looked everywhere and as said Oh shoot!
I forgot them in the oven! I opened the door and took them out and they were their golden perfection! I used both light and dark brown sugars to see if I could nail my Grandma’s recipe the light brown sugar was so close. The miracle was when I put them back in the oven
I turned it off. I have a gas range and you may know this but when you turn it off the temp plummets quickly so they just lulled into a state of perfection.
I wish
I could as a photo. I made square logs and they are an amazing cookie.
I cannot wait to have them with peaches a favorite combination from my youth!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Jenni
To start I'm so glad this recipe has led you to your Grandma's cookies. I'm absolutely fascinated by your story. So just to confirm, are you saying that you baked these cookies at 300°F for 2 hours and then turned off the oven and left the cookies in the oven. This is so interesting. Can you describe the texture of the cookie after baking that long? And I would love to get a photo next time you make them.
Jenni James says
Hi Cheryl, I wrote a long reply but I lost it. I can’t tell if it went through. Long story short, I’m going to bake off this next roll of cookies with the intention of recording every aspect of the process. I’ll let you know the exact method, but what I know right now is I baked them for 17mins and put them back in to brown some more and at that point I turned off the oven thinking all the cookies were done and I wouldn’t need it for awhile.
Both ADHD time blindness and object permanence, truly are a thing!
If there’s a way to send pics please let me know. Have a great night and thanks again for a sublime cookie recipe! You’ve done my Grandma Proud! I’m sure she’s applauding you and scolding me from Heaven above!
Cheryl Norris says
Hi Jenni
That makes more sense, instead of the baking time for 90 minutes. Baking at the longer time would result in more caramelization. Thank you for sharing this information.
Jenni James says
PS: I baked them at 325°