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
- 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 ¼ to ⅓ 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.
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!)
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 ¼ to ⅓ 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
Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface until it's ¼ to ⅓ 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!
Shauna | LInden & Lavender says
The perfect cookie I think! Christmas is just the best time for baking.
ChocolaTess says
Shortbread definitely are for Christmas! Thank you Shauna! Merry Christmas!
2pots2cook says
I really enjoy your style; so nice and easy .... I wish you have a happy holidays surrounded with your loved ones dear !
ChocolaTess says
You as well!! Thank you so much! xoxoxoxo
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
This is pretty much everything I could ever want in a cookie!! Shortbread, salted dark chocolate, vanilla bean....mmm love!!!
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Katherine!!! xo
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
shortbread is the best!!! plus, it's funny that you have a chocolate pecan "option." in my house, it would be a necessity (;
ChocolaTess says
lol! You noticed! I'm with you, but I also love the vanilla bean shortbread by itself for a completely different taste. 🙂 Thank you Heather!
Catherine says
Oh YUM! You had me at shortbread, but the salted chocolate and pecans take it over the top! These would last like three seconds in my house!
ChocolaTess says
These are so amazing, I wanted to eat them all...I ate way too much, so yes, they would be gone in 3 seconds! LOL! Thank you Catherine!!
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Mmmm I love a good shortbread cookie!! I love the topping too! Yum 🙂
ChocolaTess says
Thank you Kelly! 🙂
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
Hahaha! I've been told to stick to baking too--and it was definitely the store's fault 🙂 Shortbread cookies are some of my favorite and these look AMAZING!.
ChocolaTess says
LOL! It's always someone else's fault, right? I'm sure we're not alone in the world! Thank you Kelsie!!
Christina says
Shortbread cookies are the BEST! I love making shortbread cookies but I can't be trusted around the cookie dough, I hardly have anything leftover to bake! But seriously, these cookies look amazing and dunking them in salted dark chocolate just took them to another level. YUM!!!
ChocolaTess says
Awww..I know what you mean, I'm hopeless around cookie dough and cookies in general, especially these! Thank you so much Christina!
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says
I love shortbread cookies! They just melt in the mouth and fill it with this buttery yumminess! These look so good with all that vanilla flavor.. And I love the salted dark chocolate and nutty topping! Perfect 🙂
ChocolaTess says
I do too Deepika! I could eat them all and probably not get sick of them! Thank you dear!!