Salted Shortbread Cookies Recipes

SALTED CARAMEL SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups butter with electric mixer on high speed until creamy. Beat in sugar and vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour until blended.
• Divide dough in half. Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, roll 1 portion of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheet, place cutouts about 2 inches apart. Repeat with second portion of dough.
• Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until set and just barely light golden (do not overbake). Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; cool completely.
• In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and milk uncovered on High 2 minutes 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Frost each cookie with about 1 rounded teaspoon caramel mixture.
• In small microwavable bowl, melt chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter uncovered on High 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate over caramel on each cookie. Sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand until set.

SALTED CHOCOLATE CHUNK SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, both sugars and vanilla on medium-high till it's super light and fluffy (3 to 5 minutes for a stand mixer; 6 to 8 for a hand mixer). Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and, with the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, followed by the chocolate chunks, and mix just to blend. If necessary, knead the dough with your hands to make sure the flour is totally incorporated. At this point, the dough should be smooth and feel like Play-Doh with no pockets of flour.
• Divide the dough in half, placing each half on a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the plastic over so that it covers the dough to protect your hands from getting all sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a log shape; rolling it on the counter will help you smooth it out, but don't worry about getting it totally perfect. (Don't be afraid to make them compact. Shortbread is supposed to be dense. That's part of why it's so good.) You can also do this using parchment paper, if you prefer, but plastic wrap is easier when it comes to shaping the log. Each half should form a 6-inch log, 2 to 2¼ inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush the outside of the logs with the beaten egg and roll them in the demerara sugar (this is for those really delicious, crisp edges).
• Using a serrated knife, carefully slice each log into ½-inch-thick rounds (if you hit a chocolate chunk, slowly saw back and forth through the chocolate). If the cookies break or fall apart, just press them back together - the dough is very forgiving. Place them on the prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart (they won't spread much). Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating them all.

SALTED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the flour with the salt and the 1/4 cup of sugar. Using your fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture is the texture of sand. Gently knead the dough just until it comes together.
• Transfer the dough to the baking sheet and press it into a 7-inch round, 1/3 inch thick. Prick the round all over with a fork and lightly sprinkle the top with sugar. Using the blunt side of a large knife, score the round into 8 wedges. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and just cooked through. While the shortbread is still warm, cut through the score marks with a serrated knife to separate it into wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SALTED BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHUNK SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Beat the butter, granulated and brown sugars and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl as needed. Add flour and mix just until combined. Add chocolate chunks and mix just until incorporated. (Mixture will look crumbly.)
• Divide dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper, waxed paper or plastic wrap and use your hands to form the dough halves into logs about 2 to 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Chill until totally firm, about 2 hours. I hastened this along in the freezer (30 minutes, tops) but did feel that the cookies were better after resting longer. (But do know that it works!)
• When you're ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Lightly beat the egg and unwrap the chilled cookie logs to brush it over the sides. Sprinkle the coarse sugar on the open wrapping and roll the logs into it, coating them.
• Using a sharp serrated knife, cut logs into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. You're going to hit some chocolate chunks, so saw gently, squeezing the cookie to keep it from breaking if needed. Arrange cookie slices on prepared baking sheets 1 inch apart (they don't spread much) and sprinkle each with a few flakes of sea salt. Bake until the edges are just beginning to get golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before transferring the cookies you don't eat immediately to a wire rack to cool.