Slice & Bake Brown Sugar Toffee Shortbread Cookies
These Toffee Shortbread Cookies are made using just 6 ingredients. The addition of buttery toffee bits take these cookies over the top! They are tender and buttery with a melt in your mouth texture. Sprinkle with flaky salt to finish for a salty sweet combo that's unmatched! This recipe needs to be chilled for at least 2 hours and can be made up to one week ahead of time. Yields 24 cookies.
Servings: 24
Calories: 224kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter (2 sticks), cold, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups toffee bits
- Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional
Instructions
- To the bowl of stand mixer add the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Alternately, use a large bowl and a hand mixer / electric mixer. With the mixer on medium speed, beat until super light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape down sides of bowl. and mix again if needed to incorporate any butter or sugar that needs to be mixed in.1 cup salted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- With mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour. This cookie dough may not come together in one ball of dough and it may look crumbly. That’s ok. As long as you can squeeze the dough together in your hand and it holds, it’s good.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- Add the toffee pieces, and stir on low just to blend evenly into the dough.1 ½ cups toffee bits
- Cut two large pieces of plastic wrap and place them next to each other on a clean work surface. Place half of the cookie dough on each piece of plastic wrap. With clean hands, press the cookie dough together firmly, trying to pick up any pieces of dough or toffee that fall off. Try to squeeze the dough together to avoid any holes in the dough.
- Fold the plastic wrap over to cover the dough. Using your hands (just like you’re playing with clay), 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. Each half should form logs that are 2–2¼" in diameter. Chill dough until firm, about 2 hours.TIP: To help the cookie dough logs from becoming flat on the bottom while chilling, place each one in empty paper towel rolls or toliet paper rolls that have been cut lengthwise from one end to the other.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed cookie sheet (or two, if you have two!) with parchment paper.
- Remove the cookie dough log from the fridge, one at a time, and unwrap the plastic wrap. Place on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to slice each log into ½"-thick rounds. Place the cookie dough slices on the prepared baking sheets about 2" apart, as these cookies may spread especially if you have used homemade toffee bits. Sprinkle the tops of each cookie with flaky salt (optional).Flaky sea salt
- Bake cookies until edges are just beginning to turn golden brown, 12–14 minutes. These cookies may spread as the toffee and butter heat up in the oven. You can leave them as is or use a 3” inch round cookie cutter or the rim of an overturned bowl to scoot the cookies into a round shape. To do this, place the cookie cutter or overturned bowl around the spread cookies. Circle the cookie cutter/bowl around the cookie. It's important to do this as soon as the cookies come out of the oven while they are hot and malleable. Let cool about 10-15 minutes on the hot baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Make ahead: Cookie dough can be made 1 week ahead. Tightly wrap in plastic and chill, or freeze for up to 1 month. Cookies can be baked 5 days ahead. Store in plastic wrap or an airtight container.
- To Store: Once cookies have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze: Cookies may be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet in a single layer. Place in the freezer for at least one hour. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature and serve.
- For Toffee Pecan Shortbread Cookies: substitute half of the toffee bits for chopped, toasted pecans
- For Toffee Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies: substitute half the toffee for semi-sweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips. I would not recommend adding milk chocolate, as they are very sweet and will make these cookies overly sweet.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 27mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 407IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
