Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies (2024)

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Even though I bake lovelies such as lemon poppy seed shortbread cookies and chocolate chip sugar cookies these brown sugar shortbread cookies have become my family’s #1 requested Christmas cookie.

My friend Pete gave me his Scottish mom’s recipe for shortbread but the recipe he sent was a list of ingredients, an oven temperature, and a bake time—no instructions. I’ve since developed my own step-by-step method for consistency.

I like to stamp my cookies with a cookie stamp, but you don’t have to do this. It makes them look pretty but you can also flatten them with a fork or the bottom of a drinking glass. If you are curious about cookie stamps I have more information below.

🍁 A Note On Cookie Stamps

The first time I saw a cookie stamp was while thrifting. I loved the blue and white handmade pottery piece I was holding, but I had no clue what it was.

Turns out I’d actually found a handmade Scottish ceramic shortbread stamp. Inlaid with the carving of a thistle with leaves reaching up and around it, I’ve now baked many, many batches of brown sugar shortbread cookies with this pretty stamp.

Here are some resources to buy your own cookie stamps:

• Keep your eyes peeled in thrift and antique stores.
• Check out this Scottish thistle stamp, along with many other designs, from Birdsall Worthington Pottery based right here in my home province of Nova Scotia, Canada.
• These Nordic Ware Starry Night cookie stamps are a gorgeous addition to any kitchen.
• For a true Christmas vibe, these Nordic Ware Yuletide cookie stamps are so nice!

💞 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✔️ Using a cookie stamp turns the easiest cookie recipe ever into a beautiful treat or gift!
✔️ They taste unreal. The flavor is subtle but it will hook you!
✔️ You can add flavor variations like orange zest or cardamom to make them your own.

📋 Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Butter—I use salted butter because it makes my brown sugar shortbread cookies taste better.
• Brown Sugar—look for old-fashioned brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Light brown sugar doesn’t have the same deep caramel notes.

Ingredient Substitutions

• All-Purpose Flour—for a crispier cookie, try substituting ½ cup (75g) of the flour with white rice flour.
• Vanilla—the vanilla is optional and can be omitted.

Ingredient Additions

• Spices—ground cinnamon, cardamom, or ginger are a lovely warming addition to the cookies. I use about 1 to 2 teaspoons depending on your preference.
• Orange Zest—whisk finely grated orange zest into the flour before adding it to the mixing bowl. It’s such a festive flavor and it’s so good!

👩‍🍳 Step-By-Step Instructions

STEP 1—beat the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-high speed until well combined

STEP 2—with the mixer running on low, add the flour gradually. Stop the mixer when the dough has pretty much cleared the sides of the bowl.

STEP 3—knead the dough a few times to ensure the flour is evenly distributed.

STEP 4—Divide the dough into 24 similar-sized portions. You don’t have to use a scale, however, I like the cookies to be the same size for a more consistent bake.

STEP 5—roll each dough portion into a bowl.

STEP 6—swirl each cookie dough ball in a small container or bowl of sugar.

STEP 7—place 12 sugared dough balls on one baking sheet, and the other 12 on a second sheet.

STEP 8—stamp the top of each ball, directly on the baking sheet, with a cookie stamp. Bake until lightly golden and cool on a wire rack.

🗣 Expert Tips

1. Cracking along the edges of the cookies when stamping is a sign you have the correct butter to flour ratio.
2. It is important to add the flour gradually. It must be mixed evenly or else some of the dough will be too buttery, and some will be too dry.
3. Because of the amount of butter, you don’t have to bake the cookies on parchment paper, but you can if you want to.

📝 Recipe Notes

• This recipe doubles well.
• This is a drier dough traditionally made by hand. If you don’t have a mixer, and want to make the recipe by hand, it may seem like the all of the flour won’t mix in, but trust me, it will eventually become a supple and smooth dough!
• You don’t have to roll your cookie dough balls in sugar, but it looks pretty and prevents the cookie stamp from sticking.
• Because the dough is fairly dry it holds the imprint of the cookie stamp and doesn’t spread too much.
• This dough really isn’t meant for rolling and using cookie cutters.
• Do not stamp the cookies beyond the edge of the cookie stamp. The cookies will flatten too much which risks the edges of the cookies burning.
• I use a 2-inch cookie stamp. If you use a 3-inch stamp, resulting in a thinner cookie, you will have to adjust your bake time.
• Brown sugar shortbread cookies will keep for up to one week at room temperature in an airtight container or zipper-top bag, and up to two months in the freezer.

Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

These easy brown sugar shortbread cookies are buttery and crisp with a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Using a cookie stamp of your choice, they make for a delicious and beautiful Christmas cookie!

Need Metric Measurements?Use the button options below to toggle between US cups and Metric grams.

Nutrition

Serving: 25gCalories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 250IUCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg