Themes⚙
Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies with Vanilla Glaze
Bake brown sugar shortbread cookies with vanilla glaze for tender, buttery treats. Step-by-step instructions make dessert easy.
Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies with Vanilla Glaze are tender, buttery biscuits prepared from a simple dough of unsalted butter, light or dark brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and a touch of salt, then baked until lightly golden and finished with a smooth icing made from confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. The brown sugar imparts a gentle caramel flavor and softer crumb than traditional white-sugar shortbread, while the vanilla glaze adds sweetness and a polished finish. These cookies are commonly served during winter holidays, at afternoon tea, or as an everyday accompaniment to coffee or milk, and they travel well for gifting or bake-sale tables.
Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies with Vanilla Glaze
With just five everyday ingredients and no need for a stand mixer, this dough comes together in minutes and can be chilled or frozen for whenever a cookie craving strikes. The sturdy crumb makes it perfect for stamping into festive shapes, and the quick vanilla glaze sets fast, so you can stack or package the cookies without fuss.
Prep Time
80 minutes
80 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
15 minutes
Total Time
95 minutes
95 minutes
Ingredients
Unsalted butter, softened 1 cup (2 sticks)
- Light brown sugar, packed ½ cup
- Pure vanilla extract 1½ teaspoons (divided between dough and glaze)
- All-purpose flour 2 cups
- Fine sea salt ¼ teaspoon
- Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar 1 cup
- Whole milk or heavy cream 2–3 tablespoons, as needed for glaze
- Optional vanilla bean seeds or vanilla bean paste ½ vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon paste
- Optional festive sprinkles or coarse sanding sugar for decoration, as desired
Method
Preheat the oven to 325 °F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Beat softened butter until creamy
- Add packed brown sugar to the butter
- Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy
- Pour vanilla extract into the bowl
- Stir to combine the vanilla
- Whisk flour and salt in a separate bowl
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture
- Stir until a soft dough forms
- Shape the dough into a flat disk
- Wrap the disk in plastic wrap
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes
- Lightly flour the work surface
- Roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness
- Cut the dough with cookie cutters
- Place the cookies on the prepared sheet
- Gather the dough scraps
- Re-roll the scraps once
- Cut additional cookies from the re-rolled dough
- Bake the cookies for 12–15 minutes until the edges are pale golden
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven
- Cool the cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack
- Cool the cookies completely
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth
- Thin the glaze with extra milk if needed
- Place parchment under the wire rack
- Drizzle glaze over the cooled cookies
- Let the glaze set for 20 minutes before serving
Nutrition (whole recipe)
Calories
3527 kcal Protein
27 g Fat
200 g Carbs
412 g Fiber
6 g Sugar
229 g
3527 kcal Protein
27 g Fat
200 g Carbs
412 g Fiber
6 g Sugar
229 g
Notes
Chef’s Note: For deeper flavor, brown half the butter, chill it until firm, then cream it with the remaining butter before adding the sugar; the toasted milk solids amplify the cookie’s caramel notes. Roll to ¼ in / 6 mm for a crisper snap, or closer to ⅜ in / 1 cm for a more tender bite. Brush the glaze on while the cookies are still slightly warm so it fuses into a smooth, fast-setting finish.
why this recipe
These brown sugar shortbread cookies with vanilla glaze elevate a timeless favorite by marrying the deep, caramel-like notes of brown sugar with the delicate crunch of classic shortbread and finishing each bite with a silky veil of fragrant vanilla. The dough comes together quickly with pantry staples, yet bakes into an impressively tender crumb that melts on the tongue, while the simple glaze sets to a glossy finish that adds elegance without overpowering the cookie’s buttery richness. Their balanced sweetness, subtle hint of molasses, and irresistible texture make them perfect for gifting, sharing at gatherings, or enjoying alongside an afternoon coffee—proof that a few quality ingredients, treated with care, can deliver a truly memorable treat.
FAQs
FAQ acf
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I prepare the dough (or bake the cookies) in advance and freeze them for later use?
Yes. Shape the dough into a disk (or cut it into un-baked cookies), wrap airtight, and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator, then slice/roll and bake as directed—add 1–2 extra minutes if baking from partially frozen. Fully baked, un-glazed cookies also freeze well for 6–8 weeks; thaw at room temperature, then apply the vanilla glaze once they’ve warmed and dried.
Can I substitute gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour without noticeably altering the cookies’ texture or spread?
Yes—use a 1:1 (cup-for-cup) gluten-free baking blend that already contains xanthan or guar gum and you’ll get nearly the same thickness and butter-rich crumb, though the cookies may be a shade more tender and spread a little less. Chill the cutouts well before baking and check doneness 1-2 minutes sooner, as gluten-free flours often brown faster.
Q3: Can I swap in dark brown sugar for light brown sugar, and how will that change the flavor or texture?
Yes—dark brown sugar can replace light brown sugar in equal measure with no adjustments to the recipe. The extra molasses will deepen the caramel-toffee flavor and give the cookies a slightly darker hue, while the added moisture may make the crumb a touch softer but not enough to affect shaping or bake time.