Brown Sugar Shortbread Recipe

Whisk the flour and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar together on medium-high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined.

At low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients. Turn the mixer up to high speed and beat until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, divide into two. Shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 2.5 inches in diameter.

Tightly wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 5 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

Remove logs from the refrigerator and roll into coarse sugar, if desired. Slice each log into 12 equally thick cookies and place cookies on baking sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until brown around the edges. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1 week.