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I love to celebrate , how about you? These Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies are a perfect way to celebrate those special occasions in life. Some of them, I admit are minuscule, capturing life's tiniest victories, others are monumental milestones, events calling for major merriment; birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, reunions, weddings.
A friend's daughter is getting married next month and there's a wedding shower this weekend to prepare for the merging of two young lives into one new family. I love this tradition we have here in the U.S. of "showering" young couples with love and gifts; helping to "feather" their nests and equip them as they start a new household.
Shortbread cookies are super delicious on their own, but to make this recipe extra special, I added vanilla bean paste and finished them off with a swirl of buttercream and a shower of tiny nonpareils (decorating dots).
Wanting to incorporate the young brides' colors: turquoise and purple (so pretty!) I chose to make the cookies in wedding-white and to use cupcake papers to add a touch of vibrant festivity.
And a platter of these melt-in-your-mouth, heavenly shortbread cookies will not only make the occasion quite special, but will bring smiles of delight and oohs and aahs with every bite!
- Shortbread
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup corn starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste*
- Vanilla Buttercream
- ½ cup 4 ounces butter, at room temperature
- 1 # approximately powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste*
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3-4 tablespoons half and half
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Beat butter until smooth, about 2 minutes. Don't over beat.
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Add sugar and beat for another minute.
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Add flour, cornstarch, salt and vanilla bean paste and beat just until incorporated. Again, don't over beat but make sure all dry ingredients are incorporated.
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Scrap contents of bowl out onto a lightly floured work surface and form into 2 approximately equal size balls. Place each balls of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk. Wrap dough balls completely and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 325˚F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside
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After 30 minutes remove one ball of dough from refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Cut out dough as desired and place shapes on prepared sheet pans.
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Bake at 325˚F for 14-16 minutes or until pale golden brown. Remove to cooling racks to cool completely before icing. Ice as desired with Vanilla Bean Buttercream.
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For the Vanilla Bean Buttercream, place butter in the bowl of a stand mixture. Using the wire whisk attachment, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.
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Reduce speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, add half and half slowly till soft and fluffy, then increase the speed to medium-high, add vanilla bean paste and mix until incorporated. Continue to beat until light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
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Frost cookies as desired. To decorate cookies like in pictures, use a Wilton 2D decorating tip. Holding tip perpendicular to one of the cookies, start in center and swirl icing in a circular pattern working towards the outer edges making a complete circle around the cookie. Sprinkle with jimmies or nonpareils, if desired. Repeat with remaining cookies.
* ~ Beans from one vanilla bean pod can be substituted for vanilla bean paste. You can also use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, if desired.
Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch says
Shortbread cookies are the best and what a gorgeous frosting with the sprinkles! Delicious!
Kitchen Riffs says
Great decorating job! I love shortbread, and these cookies look wonderful. Really, really good stuff - thanks so much.
Debra Eliotseats says
What a beautiful cookie, beautiful decorations and beautiful presentation. Excellent, truly!
Liz Berg says
Shortbread with a swirl of gorgeous frosting??? Yum! I hope you saved me a few 🙂
Jemma says
Oh, I can almost taste this little melt-in your mouth shortbread delights!
I too love the celebrations of life!
Warm Hugs,
jemma
Ms Lemon of Make Mine Lemon says
I keep thinking if I stalk your site some of your decorating skills will rub off on me. Scott, great photos!
Munatycooking says
It's been a while since I've enjoyed a good shortbread, and your cookies are so gorgeous, making me crave for some 🙂
Kim G. says
Shortbread cookies are perfect to celebrate, or not:) With the buttercream, I'm sure it's delicious!
rosaria williams says
Oh yummmm!
Laura Dembowski says
The frosting and sprinkles totally takes these over the top! So glamorous and perfect for a shower.
Kathy says
Simply beautiful, Chris! As always, a gorgeous presentation, perfect for any celebration!
Angie Schneider says
These look so festive and pretty!
Veronica Miller says
Chris, the shortbread Queen!! These are so pretty, and definitely celebration-worthy.
Pondside says
These sound so good - vanilla bean-anything gets my attention every time! What a pretty treat for a bridal shower.
Ginny says
These are so darned cute! And I do believe they would just melt right in my mouth.
bellini says
I can see the vanilla bean flecks and can taste these specula treats now.
scrambledhenfruit says
These are so pretty, I want to find something to celebrate right now! 🙂
The Mom Chef says
you don't realize how happy you made me right? I adore shortbread and I love vanilla. You put the two
together, and put me in heaven.
Cathy at Wives with Knives says
Shortbread cookies are our favorite and who could resist that beautiful buttercream swirl?
La Table De Nana says
Cute as buttons:)
As long as I am not the one being celebrated:)
I don't like fuss for me...for others in my family? Love.
I had pinned chocolate ones quite similar in beauty..because of that exactly:)... their looks!
I am shallow when it comes to cupcakes and cookies:)
Lovely!
Lynn@Happier Than a Pig in Mud says
The cookies are very pretty, love the short list of ingredients! Have a great weekend:@)
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen says
I love shortbread cookies and you've made yours extra special. What a great way to celebrate a special occasion.
Hope you have a lovely weekend Chris.
Sam
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
I love your idea of celebrating! Sometimes I think we need simple celebrations in life, a smile goes a long way. Your shortbread cookies look delicious!
Hovkonditorn says
They look so beautiful and delicious!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love shortbread - add vanilla bean and I'm in heaven!