Buttery shortbread gets a warm hug from spiced gingerbread dough in this mash-up of two favourite holiday cookies. A nutty brown butter glaze brings the two flavours together.
- Prep time 1 hour & 15 minutes
- Total time 4 hours
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookie Dough:
Brown Butter Glaze:
Shortbread Cookie Dough:
Method
Shortbread Cookie Dough: In stand mixer with paddle attachment, or in bowl using wooden spoon, beat together butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt until fluffy. Stir in flour just until combined. If necessary, knead gently to form smooth dough. Divide dough in half. Working one-half at a time, place dough on large piece of plastic wrap. Covering loosely with plastic wrap, shape into 10-inch (25 cm) long log; twist ends of plastic wrap to seal. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
Gingerbread Cookie Dough: Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in egg yolk and molasses until combined. In separate bowl, whisk, together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves and salt; stir into butter mixture just until combined. If necessary, knead gently to form smooth dough.
Assembly: Between 2 sheets of parchment paper, roll out gingerbread dough to 10-inch (25 cm) square; remove top sheet. Halve to form 2 rectangles; refrigerate for 15 minutes. Arrange 1 rectangle on parchment paper with 1 long edge facing you; place 1 log of the shortbread dough over top of rectangle, about 2 inches (5 cm) from edge closest to you. Using parchment paper, lift and roll gingerbread dough from edge closest to you over shortbread dough to meet opposite long edge; gently pinch seam to seal. Remove parchment paper.
Wrap in plastic wrap, twisting ends to seal. Repeat with remaining rectangle. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Bring to room temperature before continuing with recipe.)
Trim ends of logs; slice dough into 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick rounds, reshaping as needed. Arrange, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on parchment paper–lined rimless baking sheets. Bake in top and bottom thirds of 350°F (180°C) oven, switching and rotating pans halfway through, until firm and no longer shiny, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on pans.
Brown Butter Glaze: While cookies are cooling, in small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; continue to cook, swirling frequently, until nutty brown and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; bring to room temperature. Whisk in icing sugar and salt until smooth.
To finish: Dip tops and sides of cookies in glaze, gently shaking to remove any excess. Place on parchment paper–lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in airtight container; store for up to 2 days.)
Tip from The Test Kitchen: Lightly flour your hands before rolling the shortbread dough into logs to prevent the dough from sticking.
Makes about 60 cookies.
Nutritional facts per cookie: about
- Sodium 6 mg
- Sugars 5 g
- Protein 1 g
- Calories 89.0
- Total fat 5 g
- Potassium 34 mg
- Cholesterol 17 mg
- Saturated fat 3 g
- Total carbohydrate 9 g
%RDI
- Iron 3.0
- Folate 5.0
- Calcium 1.0
- Vitamin A 5.0
