Bouchon Bakery Shortbread Cookies - they are so simple, yet they can be so elegant, and they are perfect for a simple dessert, a snack, or for gifting.
These shortbread cookies are a magical combination of flour, butter, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and kosher salt. You can make the dough in advance and refrigerate or freeze it, making baking ahead that much easier. The baked cookies can also be frozen.
I have lots of shortbread cookie recipes (over twenty) of various flavors on this site, including ginger, lemon, hazelnut, and toffee. These shortbread cookies are super simple and traditional, with a slightly crumbly texture and a lovely vanilla flavor, the only adornment being a sprinkling of sparkling sugar. If you are a shortbread cookie fan, definitely add this recipe to your collection.
Ingredients in These Shortbread Cookies:
Butter: Use unsalted butter that has been softened.
Sugar: You will need granulated sugar.
Salt: I used Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which has a larger grain. If you use table salt or a sea salt, you will need less salt by volume, about a third. I like to use mini scale for accuracy.
All Purpose Flour: I used unbleached.
Sanding Sugar: For sprinkling on the cookies before baking. I used sparkling sugar, but granulated sugar will work too. You can sprinkle just the tops or the tops and sides as well.
To Make These Shortbread Cookies:
First, beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer and then beat in the sugar and salt. Then, beat in the vanilla.
Next, mix in the flour in two additions, beating just enough to incorporate it. Pat the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate it for at least two hours and up to two days.
After that, roll out the dough into a 9 inch square and cut it into 24 rectangles.
Finally, sprinkle the rectangles with sanding sugar and bake them for about 15 minutes.
Tips for Success:
If you have a convection oven, use the convection feature. It helps set the outside of the cookies to maintain the shape and the squared edges.
If the dough does not stay chilled as you are rolling and cutting it, put the cut cookie dough back in the refrigerator to re-chill.
Rather than rolling out the fully chilled dough, you can also roll out the dough after about 45 minutes of chilling and square off the edges. Rewrap the dough and let it chill completely. If you can time it right, this is much easier and helps prevent the dough from splitting.
Recipe Variations:
These Cookies are wonderful as is, but you can also dress them up a bit.
You could add a couple of teaspoons of lemon, lime, or orange zest. The citrus zest goes very nicely with the vanilla.
Another option is to top the unbaked cookie with colored sugar or sprinkles instead of plain sugar.
Finally, you could partially dip the cookies in white or dark chocolate and sprinkle the chocolate with sprinkles.
This Shortbread recipe is adapted from the Bouchon Bakery cookbook by Thomas Keller and Sebastien Rouxel, published in 2012. The book is big, nearly 400 big pages of heavy stock paper, and includes positively stunning photographs. It's also full of beautifully written stories about the bakery, the bakers, and the various recipes. I bought the book when it first came out and have enjoyed everything I've baked from it.
First published in 2014 and updated in 2026.
Bouchon Bakery Shortbread Cookies Recipe
They are so simple, yet they can be so elegant, and they are perfect for a simple dessert, a snack, or for gifting.
Ingredients
- 180 grams (6.3 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 90 grams (1/2 Cup) granulated sugar
- 2 grams (5/8 teaspoon) Kosher salt
- 5.9 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla bean paste
- 270 grams (1 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons) all purpose flour
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sanding sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter with the paddle attachment on medium low speed until smooth.
- Add the sugar and salt and mix on medium low for 2 minutes.
- Add the vanilla and mix for 30 seconds.
- Add half of the flour, and mix until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the second half of the flour.
- Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter, and mound the dough on top of it. Form the dough into a 7 inch by 7 inch block. Wrap it with the plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- When ready to bake, place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll the dough out to a 9 inch by 9 inch square between two pieces of wax or parchment paper. You may have to pound it a bit with your rolling pin to get it to roll out. If it gets too soft, you can put it back into the refrigerator to firm up.
- With a sharp knife, and using a ruler, score the dough into four 2 1/4 inch wide horizontal strips. Next, score the dough into six 1 1/2 inch vertical strips. Sprinkle the dough with sanding sugar or granulated sugar.
- Cut the dough along the scoring into 24 individual rectangles. Place the rectangles about 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet.
- Place the sheet in the oven, and bake, using convection, for 13 to 15 minutes, or if not using convection, for 17 to 19 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, and then move the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
110Fat (grams)
6 gSat. Fat (grams)
4 gCarbs (grams)
13 gFiber (grams)
0 gNet carbs
13 gSugar (grams)
4 gProtein (grams)
1 gCholesterol (grams)
16 mg
You’ve missed out the sugar in the list of ingredients
ReplyDeleteI see it second on the list.....
DeleteI LOVE shortbread cookies but I've never been to this bakery. Definitely on my "to make" list!
ReplyDeleteI love shortbread cookies and can't wait to make them. I also want to try the hazelnut ones, too.
ReplyDelete