Slice and Bake Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

My Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookie recipe takes that classic, buttery shortbread we all adore and gives it a cozy upgrade by swapping regular granulated sugar for rich, dark brown sugar. The molasses in the brown sugar brings in those beautiful toffee and caramel notes that make these cookies disappear faster than you can say, “One more, please!” They stay soft and tender, and if you’re a fan of that sweet and salty combo, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top sends these straight to cookie heaven.

Why You’ll Absolutely Love This Brown Sugar Twist on Classic Shortbread Cookies 

What truly delights me about these brown sugar shortbread cookies is how the brown sugar amps up the flavor with a warm caramel richness that goes way beyond your typical shortbread. They’re just as easy and reliable as my classic shortbread, but the brown sugar adds a depth that makes them downright addictive. Honestly, in my house, there are never any leftovers because they vanish quickly!

While perfecting this recipe, I played around with both light and dark brown sugar. Both work beautifully, but here’s a little insider tip: dark brown sugar delivers a bold molasses punch with a touch less sweetness, while light brown sugar feels softer and sweeter, carrying more vanilla and caramel vibes. Either one yields delicious cookies, but I usually lean on dark brown sugar for that full, cozy flavor.

If you love this style of cookie, you might also want to check out my vanilla shortbread or brown sugar pecan cookies—they’re just as warm and comforting, loaded with flavor, and perfect for any cookie lover.

Why Paying Attention to the Details Makes All The Difference

If you’re just starting out with baking, this recipe is a fantastic place to jump in. The dough comes together quickly, and since it’s a slice-and-bake style, it’s super simple and honestly kind of fun. I always say that in simple recipes like this one, the little things really set a good cookie apart from a memorable one — like accurate measuring and choosing quality ingredients.

One reason I hear these shortbreads are fan favorites is because they keep their shape beautifully while baking. They don’t spread out or get all messy. Instead, they come out with crisp edges and clean shapes, perfect for a fancy cookie platter or to cut into playful shapes. The dough is such a dream to work with—soft but firm enough to handle easily.

Ingredients for Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

This recipe calls for just 6 simple ingredients, but each one plays a key role in making these cookies taste amazing and have the perfect texture.

• Dark Brown Sugar: Feel free to use either light or dark brown sugar, but I recommend dark brown sugar for the richest, deepest flavor. Light brown sugar adds a gentler, sweeter note with more caramel and vanilla hints, while dark brown sugar brings that classic molasses warmth with just a bit less sweetness.
• Unsalted Butter: Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature — this helps it cream beautifully with the sugar. Salted butter is fine if that’s what you have and it actually adds a nice balance to the sweetness.
• Vanilla Bean Paste: I love the rich, natural vanilla flavor that vanilla bean paste gives alongside the brown sugar. If you don’t have it, plain vanilla extract works just as well.
• Ground Nutmeg: Completely optional, but a tiny pinch adds a cozy, warm hint of spice that pairs beautifully with the caramel notes. Just a small amount—no more than ¼ teaspoon.
• Turbinado Sugar: Rolling the edges of your cookie dough logs in turbinado or raw sugar before baking gives a delightful crunchy sparkle that makes these cookies feel extra special.

The full list of ingredients and easy, step-by-step instructions are waiting for you down in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step-by-Step Guide to Making Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies

For best results, I love to weigh my ingredients and really savor the process—these cookies are fun to make and taste fantastic!

Step 1: Toss your brown sugar, softened butter, kosher salt, and vanilla bean paste into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until the texture turns smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Keep mixing until the mixture becomes silky smooth. This helps the sugar and butter blend perfectly and sets you up for tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies.

Step 3: Slowly add the flour while running the mixer on low speed. Stop mixing as soon as all the flour is incorporated—overmixing can make the cookies tough, and nobody wants that.

Step 4: Raise the speed to medium briefly, just long enough to have the dough come together in soft, easy-to-handle chunks.

Step 5: Divide the dough into two equal parts. Lightly flour your workspace, press one piece into a rough rectangle about an inch thick, then gently roll or shape it into a log. This makes it easy to slice later on.

Step 6: Wrap each log tightly in wax paper, twisting the ends candy-style. This keeps the dough snug and tidy.

Step 7: Chill the wrapped logs in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days if you want to prepare ahead. Chilling helps the cookies keep their perfect shape when baking.

Step 8: When you’re ready to bake, take one log out of the fridge but keep it wrapped. Sprinkle a good layer of turbinado sugar on top, pressing it gently so it sticks well.

Step 9: Slice the dough into even ¼-inch rounds. You can comfortably fit about a dozen slices on one baking sheet without crowding.

Step 10: Bake until the cookies turn a beautiful, light golden color. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before enjoying—they’ll firm up perfectly and melt in your mouth.

Best Ways to Serve and Store These Cookies

Right out of the oven, these cookies are pure happiness—soft, buttery, and bursting with those warm caramel notes. They’re amazing with a strong black tea like Assam or Earl Grey, and honestly, they’re made for dunking in your morning coffee. If you’re like me, dunking just makes everything better!

Once cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. This keeps them fresh and delicious for up to a week, making them perfect for anytime snacking or packing into lunchboxes.

How to Freeze Baked Cookies for Later

Every now and then, you might end up with more cookies than you can eat at once (not that that’s a bad problem!). Freezing baked cookies is an easy way to save some for later without losing that fresh-baked flavor and texture.

1. Cool Completely: Make sure your cookies are fully cooled before freezing. Putting warm cookies in the freezer causes condensation and sogginess. Let them cool on a rack for at least an hour before you freeze.
2. Flash Freeze: Lay your cookies in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze them for about an hour until firm. This keeps them from sticking together once stored.
3. Package Carefully: Move the frozen cookies into a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. If you stack them, add parchment or wax paper between layers to keep them from clumping.
4. Label and Date: Don’t forget to write the date on your container. Frozen like this, your cookies stay fresh and tasty for up to 2 months.
5. Thaw Before Eating: When you want a treat, just let the cookies warm to room temperature for about an hour and enjoy like they just came out of the oven!

Other Shortbread Cookie Ideas to Try

Shortbread dough is wonderfully flexible and soaks up flavors beautifully. If you want to play around with it a bit, here are some of my favorite twists that add a little extra fun and flair to your shortbread cookie baking.

My Top Tips for Perfect Shortbread Every Time

Shortbread looks simple, but with just a handful of ingredients, small mistakes can really change the texture or taste. Here are my trusted tips to get buttery, tender, and absolutely perfect shortbread cookies every single time:

• Use good butter. Butter really is the star here, so reach for quality brands like Kerrygold or Tillamook to elevate your cookie flavor.
• Weigh your ingredients. It might feel a little extra, but shortbread follows a precise 3-2-1 ratio (flour, butter, sugar) that’s easiest to get right with a kitchen scale. Plus, it helps avoid wasting pricey butter.
• Don’t overmix. Mix just until the dough comes together. Overmixing develops the gluten and that makes the cookies tough—we want tender!
• Chill the dough. A quick chill firms things up so cookies stay neat and keep their shape during baking. It’s a short wait for a big win.
• Have fun with it. Baking tastes better when you’re relaxed and happy. Let that joy come through in your cookies—they always taste better when you bake with love.

If you give this recipe a try, please come back and drop a comment or a star rating—I absolutely love hearing how your cookies turn out. Sharing these recipes with you makes all the difference!