Monday, January 23, 2017

Sandy's Brown Sugar Shortbread

Last week I was sorting some old notes and letters when I came across a recipe I had saved from my tea-loving pen pal in New York, Sandy. She had shared the recipe for her Brown Sugar Shortbread, which sounded intriguing since I've never made shortbread with brown sugar, only with regular old granulated sugar.

Over the weekend, I tried her recipe, and I was thrilled with how easy and delicious it was. And just three ingredients! If you'd like an afternoon treat of shortbread with your tea this week, I highly recommend this recipe.

Brown Sugar Shortbread

1 cup softened butter (no substitutions)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. (I used a hand mixer.) Gradually stir in flour. When blended, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead till smooth, about 3 minutes. I used a rolling pin that flattens the dough into a perfect 3/8-inch thickness and cut out cookies with a small teapot cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet, prick with a fork, and bake for 25 minutes, just until bottoms are beginning to brown. Yields about 40 (2-inch) cookies. And as Sandy noted on her recipe card, they are indeed quite yummy!

9 comments:

  1. I love shortbread!
    Thanks for this simple recipe. I'll be making these for Valentine's!
    Shari, Columbus, GA

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  2. They look yummy! I can handle three ingredients, will definitely try them.

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  3. Sounds delicious, and I like the 3 ingredient idea! Also like your teapot shaped cookie cutter.

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  4. Like you I've only ever made shortbread with white sugar. I'll give this a try. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. I am wondering why you need to prick with a fork?? I have never seen that done to shortbread before. I have also never made shortbread, so I am anxious to try this. I will probably add a pretty, thin sugar frosting. :)

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    1. Heather, I believe it's to keep it from buckling/puckering. (And indeed, these were perfectly uniform when baked!)

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  6. What a special recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us. It does sound just so delicious.

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  7. I'd honestly have to say that shortbread cookies are my single favorite tea-time treat. I think they go together so perfectly. And, ironically I have never once in all these years ever served them at a tea party - somehow they seem too boring and ugly compared to all the lovely foods served at a fancy afternoon tea.

    Or maybe they seem that way because I often eat them alone with my tea at teatime break......anyway, just sharing that, haha.

    As for brown sugar, I have never tried that and plan to tomorrow. I made shortbread fingers around Christmastime and gave them away - and now I simply must have some.

    Thanks for sharing this recipe! I shall let you know what I think after I make them. (Though I can tell you I think they'll be absolutely fabulous!!) : - )

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