Butterscotch Shortbread Cookies
Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies studded with sweet butterscotch chips and a hint of toasty pecans.
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened 2 sticks
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
- ½ cup pecans, finely chopped optional, for toasty flecks
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed just until a soft dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Fold in the butterscotch chips and the chopped pecans, if using, until evenly distributed.
- Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 2 hours, until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the chilled logs into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and arrange them about 1 inch apart on the sheets.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are just set and barely golden. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
The dough must be well chilled before slicing for clean, even rounds. For extra butterscotch flavor, brown the butter first and let it cool until soft before creaming. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
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