Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies Recipe

In a light-colored saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Cook the butter, swirling occasionally, until it foams and the milk solids turn amber and emit a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Let the brown butter cool to warm (not cold).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and fine sea salt until evenly incorporated. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the cooled browned butter with the powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth, pale, and creamy. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing just until a soft, cohesive dough forms. If the dough is too crumbly, sprinkle in 1 teaspoon of cold water at a time and mix until it comes together. Do not overwork the dough.

Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 60 minutes. For best flavor and texture, you can chill the dough for up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thickness. Cut into desired shapes and transfer to the prepared sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden. The centers should remain pale. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through for even color.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.