Why are my shortbread cookies tough?

It's important to avoid over-mixing shortbread dough , which will develop gluten and make the finished product tough, not tender. To make sure that the flour mixes completely with little effort, sift the flour first to get out all of the lumps.

What's the difference between shortbread and Danish cookies?

Danish butter cookies, on the other hand, have a lower ratio of butter to flour . This results in a cookie that is less rich, more delicate in flavor, like light and fluffy cakes than dense and crumbly shortbread cookies.

What is the secret to good shortbread?

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ... Keep Ingredients Simple. ... Add Flavor. ... Don't Overwork. ... Shape Dough. ... Chill Before Baking. ... Bake Until Golden. ... Add Finishing Touches.

What are common mistakes when making shortbread?

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour . The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

Why is Scottish shortbread so good?

The high butter quantity in shortbread (one part sugar to two parts butter) gives it that delightfully crumbly feel . And also its name. This is because the old meaning of the world “short” reflects this crumbliness and so the name 'shortbread' stuck.

What are shortbread called in England?

The related word "shortening" refers to any fat that may be added to produce a "short" (crumbly) texture. In British English, shortbread and shortcake were synonyms for several centuries, starting in the 1400s; both referred to the crisp, crumbly cookie-type baked good, rather than a softer cake.

What country makes the best shortbread?

Scotland has gifted the world with many treasures, including the Loch Ness Monster, stuffed sheep stomach, and the voice of Sheena Easton. Scotland has also given the world shortbread. For something traditionally made with just three ingredients (butter, flour, and sugar), shortbread shouldn't be hard to screw up.

Why is my shortbread hard and chewy?

Check doneness by looking for an even, light brown colour across the top of the biscuits, with slight darkening at the edges. Begin checking at the tail end of the cooking time. Undercooked shortbread will be doughy and chewy. Slightly overcooked and it will become chalky, brittle and hard.

How do you soften hard shortbread cookies?

Microwaving them . If you cover your cookies with a wet paper towel and nuke them for a few seconds, they should soften up enough to eat.

What happens if you put too much butter in shortbread?

What happens if you put too much butter in cookies? - Quora. They spread way too far out on the cookie sheet and don't get cooked right. They're too wet, and really greasy, but can be cooked to crispiness but won't have the right texture and it will be hard to reproduce the time of baking.

What happens if you overwork shortbread?

The high butter (or shortening ) content helps to keep the gluten in the flour short and soft. But, for that delectable, friable texture, it's also important to keep a light hand. Overworking the mixture will make the dough oily; it will also develop the gluten in the flour and make the shortbread tough .

Coffee Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies | Vegan Recipes

December 15, 2019 by Alana

Being vegan doesn’t mean you have to endure bland cookies or miss out on desserts altogether. In fact, these Coffee Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies are the perfect vegan treat! They have just the right amount of sweetness, with deep caramel undertones from coconut sugar, and thanks to Miyoko’s Creamery, these cookies are delectably buttery while remaining vegan. Plus, these cookies will give you a little caffeine boost…what’s not to love?

At its most basic, a cookie is a simple combination of sugar, flour, and some type of fat. When a recipe calls for so few ingredients, quality is everything! As a vegan, the fat source is my main concern. These days, there are so many vegan butter alternatives on the market, with some much better than others. I highly recommend the Cultured Vegan Butter made by Miyoko’s Creamery. It’s a coconut oil-based butter that is actually fermented with live cultures, giving it a creamy tang reminiscent of European butters.

The coconut sugar is another unique feature of this recipe that brings a lot of flavor. Although regular sugar could be used, the coconut sugar in this recipe provides the cookies with a rich caramel undertone and a deep golden hue. The depth of flavor the coconut sugar provides make it so worth it to buy a bag and add it to your pantry arsenal.

Let’s Make Coffee Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

Making the cookie dough in a food processor is a fast and convenient choice. Before you begin, use the food processor to grind the coffee granules and hazelnuts, then set them aside. Next, simply add the vegan butter and sugar into the food processor and begin pulsing. Since the vegan butter is softer than dairy butter, the two come together very quickly into a thick paste. Pause as needed to open the processor and scrape down the sides. Finally, add in the rest of the ingredients and pulse until everything is incorporated into a soft dough. It’s as simple as that!

Once you have the cookie dough prepared, divide them into 20 equal balls and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Making sure that the dough is chilled at this stage will make it easier to work with when it comes time to press the cookies. Of course, you could simply form the cookie dough into a log and cut slices if you want a quicker option. However, I took this as an opportunity to use my new Nordic Ware cookie stamps for the first time to make an especially visually appealing cookie. While Nordic Ware has a plethora of cookie stamp designs available, these are my absolute favorites. Not only are they decorative and festive enough for the holiday season, but since the designs are neutral, you can use them year round.

I consider this to be a perfect adult cookie. They’re not too sweet, and have a delicious mix of complex flavors due to the coconut sugar, hazelnuts, coffee, and vanilla. For a vegan cookie, they are surprisingly buttery in the most perfect way!

Coffee Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

Author: Alana Haldan
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 20 cookies 1x

Description

These Coffee Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies are a perfect vegan treat that comes together quickly in a food processor. There are so many vegan butter alternatives on the market these days, but for a truly authentic taste and texture, I highly recommend the butter from Miyoko’s Creamery. The coconut oil-based product gives these cookies the ideal shortbread taste and texture typical of traditional dairy butter.

Scale

Ingredients

8 oz vegan butter, cut into cubes
4 oz coconut sugar
8 oz all-purpose flour
4 oz roasted hazelnuts, finely ground
1 ½ Tbsp instant coffee, finely ground
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a food processor, add butter and sugar. Pulse to combine, pausing to scrape down sides as needed, until fully combined and softened, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add flour, ground hazelnuts, ground coffee, and vanilla extract. Pulse until a dough is formed, about 30 seconds.
Divide dough into 20 equal balls and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Using a cookie stamp, press dough balls down to desired thickness, about ¼” to ½”.
Place cookies onto two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until deep golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes (see note).
Remove from oven and place onto a cooling rack until thoroughly cooled.

Notes

Due to the coconut sugar, the cookies will have a darker appearance than a typical shortbread cookie.

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Coffee Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies | Vegan Recipes | Sprouts And Krauts (2024)