Make ahead ready, slice and bake or cut out cookies, these Bourbon Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies are easy to make and a joy to give! This shortbread cookie recipe is vegetarian, easily dairy free or vegan.
This post was updated on Dec. 2020 featuring new recipe adaptations and photography. The original recipe remains unchanged.
Table of Contents
Easy Shortbread
Butter. Flour. Sugar. These are the classic ingredients of shortbread, making it one of the easiest cookies to pull together for the holidays, yes, but for anytime of year!
The sky is the limit for flavor inclusions like extracts, zest, seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate that make shortbread cookies special and so versatile. I mean, just check out these Italian Wedding Cookies and Cocoa Nibby Pecan Cookies! For these shortbread cookies, I include two ingredients that are like peas and carrots: vanilla and bourbon.
The bourbon is subtle in this bourbon cookie recipe, so if you’re looking for a heavy presence of it, this isn’t your cookie. Rather, it’s bourbon’s caramel notes that complement and highlight the vanilla.
Make Ahead Ready
One of the best things about shortbread is that it’s make ahead ready and has a long shelf life. Perfect for holiday prep and for gifting to friends and family near and far.
These vanilla bean cookies can be made months in advance and hang out in the freezer until you’re ready to slice and bake. Or, they’ll last weeks packaged, ready to be enjoyed by your gift recipient.
Quick Guide: How to Make Bourbon Vanilla Bean Shortbread
For this recipe, you’ll need to plan ahead. Although shortbread is easy to make, the flavor improves with a little time to rest, and also, these cookies need to be adequately chilled before and after shaping and/or cutting.
There are two ways to approach this recipe: a. you can roll the dough into a log and slice the cookies or b. roll the dough to 1/4″ thick and use your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough. Since this shortbread cookie recipe makes a big batch, I often divide the dough in half and do one of each! Here’s how to make these fragrant vanilla shortbread cookies (see recipe card below for full details):
- First, beat the sugar and butter in a stand mixer.
- Second, pour in the bourbon, vanilla extract and scrape in the vanilla beans.
- Third, add the flour and pulse until no white streaks from flour remain.
- Next, roll the dough into a log and/or roll into a disk and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to three days. The dough can then be frozen for longer storage.
- Last, slice or cut, rest and bake.
Resting the dough in the fridge after slicing/cutting but prior to baking is important so that the cookies hold their shape. Don’t rush or skip this step! It’s essential.
High Quality Ingredients
Simple and modest, but big on flavor. Don’t skimp on the butter, here. Like the vanilla and bourbon, butter is a main component which brings out the best in this cookie. The flavors completely play off one another. Look for high quality, organic butter for best flavor.
Vanilla extract and beans can be purchased at your well stocked grocery. Look for organic vanilla extract and beans and if you can find them, fair trade. You can use vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla beans, in this recipe, but it can be sometimes difficult to find locally. I usually purchase online when needed.
On a recent trip to Costco, I found their brand of organic vanilla beans, plump and pliable, at a very good price.
A Few Recipe Notes
- An oven thermometer is helpful in knowing the temperature of your oven for best baking outcome.
- Freezer Friendly? Yes Please! This cookie dough can be frozen for up to two months! Simply thaw in the fridge overnight then slice/cut and bake the next day.
- Vegan Shortbread? Yes Please! Makers on Instagram have been making these vegan, so I tested this recipe using Earth Balance buttery sticks, and it works beautifully! Simply reduce the salt, and baking time (see recipe notes).
- Bourbon Update (12/20): Makers have been requesting more bourbon flavor in this bourbon cookie recipe, so I tested the original recipe with a few tweaks. See modifications in recipe notes. The bourbon flavor is still subtle, but slightly more apparent.
- Cookie Cutters: I love cutting these cookies into stars for the holiday season, but they’re pretty cut into hearts or whatever shape you like. I use these heart cookie cutters and star cookie cutters.
More Cookie Recipes to Love
- Italian Wedding Cookies
- No Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Cocoa Nib Shortbread Cookies
- Vegan Dark Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- Cocoa Nib Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Bourbon Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 C (346g) or 3 Sticks Unsalted Butter, room temperature (see notes to make these dairy free / vegan)*
- 1/2 C (124g) Cane Sugar
- 1/2 C (68g) Confectioners Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 TBS Vanilla Extract **
- 2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste or 1 Vanilla Bean Scraped***
- 2 1/2 TBS Bourbon
- 3 1/2 C (470g) Unbleached All Purpose Flour
- 1 Egg White (optional)
- 3-4 TBS Raw Sugar or Demamara Sugar (optional)
Instructions
To Mix:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, cane and confectioners sugar, sea salt and vanilla bean paste or vanilla beans. Mix on medium for about 2 minutes or until smooth (not fluffy), stopping to scrape bowl at least once. Add the bourbon and vanilla extract and mix again on medium for about 30 seconds, or until incorporated. Scrape down bowl. Add the flour all at once, pulse to start, then mix on medium until the dough forms somewhat of a ball on the paddle and has pulled away from sides of the bowl.
To Shape, Cut and Rest:
- For Slice and Bake: On a floured work surface, dump out dough, knead it a few times until a mass forms and divide in half. Shape each clump into a log, 2" (5cm) thick, gently rolling and adding flour as needed so it wont stick to you or the work surface. If the log becomes hollow, condition the dough by pinching it closed and reroll into a log. If the hollow persists, you can rest the dough for 15 minutes in the fridge, knead it a few times and beat it with a pin (truly!) until flat enough to roll. Wrap each log in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Carefully place in refrigerator on a flat surface keeping it as straight as possible. for at least two hours or up to two days. For Cut Out Cookies: On a floured work surface, dump out the dough, knead it a few times until a mass forms and divide it in half. Shape the dough into 2, 1/2" disks, wrap snugly and refrigerate for two hours or up to two days.
- To Freeze: At this point the dough (log or cookie dough) can be frozen for up to two months. Be sure to double wrap the logs and dough to prevent freezer burn.Thaw overnight in the fridge then proceed.
To Cut and Pan:
- Optional But Recommended for the Logs: Remove the log(s) from the refrigerator, unwrap, and using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of egg white all over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the log with raw sugar, rolling it as needed to cover the surface area of the log.
- Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. For the Log, using a serrated knife, firmly cut the cookies 1/2" (1 1/4cm) thick. Place on sheet pan with at least 1" (2 1/2 cm) between cookies. For the Cut Outs, set at room temperature for about 30 minutes to make rolling easier. Flour your work surface, pin and dough. Roll the dough to 1/4" (6mm) thick and cut the cookies, reflouring as needed to prevent sticking. If the dough starts cracking, gather what you've rolled, knead it a few times and beat it with the pin to condition it. Shape into a rough disc, reroll and cut. Gather the scraps and reroll and cut as needed. Space cookies at least 1" apart on the sheet pan. Place the cookies in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before baking (do not skip this step or the cookies will spread).
To Bake:
- Preheat the oven while the cookies rest in the refrigerator For 1/2" cookies, preheat and bake the cookies at 350F (180C) for 25-27 minutes OR until they begin to turn golden.For 1/4" cookies, preheat and bake at 325F (160C) for 23-26 minutes OR until they begin to turn golden. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely. They'll become crisp as they cool.
- Store in a covered container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
Video
Notes
- use 3 Buttery Sticks of Earth Balance instead of dairy butter
- omit the salt and add a pinch instead
- omit the egg wash and sprinkling of sugar
- Reduce the bake time to:
- for 1/2" cookies bake @ 350F for 20-24 minutes.
- for 1/4" cookies bake @325F for 19-23 minutes.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Just made these and they were incredible, even though I accidentally put in 2x the amount of bourbon and botched the oven temp! Bravo!
Oh goodness! Hooray! SO glad they turned out for you Adri. Thank you for your note… sounds like they were extra bourbony!
I was wondering if you can use food coloring in the dough? I would like to make leaf cutouts with a swirl of fall colors.
thanks!
Hi Lynn! What a fun idea! I’ve not tried it. If you give it a go, please keep us posted!
What do you think about dipping the bottoms of a few of them in dark chocolate?
Hi Ann! Delicious idea! I would temper the chocolate, however so that the coating stays snappy and has a shiny sheen.
Absolutely delicious! I used the slice and bake method and they were perfect. Shortbread cookies are this family’s passion due to some British influence.
Hi, Traci:
I look forward to making the Bourbon Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies dough with the extra splash of bourbon and freezing it for future use. I also hope to add it to my holiday baking “repertoire.” The reviews are so positive.
Two questions:
1) I only weigh ingredients–no measuring cups, and I use King Arthur Flour. I read in your blog that you like their products too. Since KA uses 120 grams as its weight for one cup of flour (the typical weight listed by most flour producers), I just want to make sure that the recipe is based on the 136 grams per cup specified by Bob’s Red Mill. (Cooks Illustrated lists 142 grams for 1 cup all-purpose flour, which creates more confusion.) The 50-gram difference for 3.5 cups of BRM vs KA flour is almost one-half cup.
2) Have you ever tested a brown butter variation?
So appreciate the work you put into your blog. And the Butternut Squash Lasagna has caught my eye.
Thank you.
Regards,
Mj
Hi Mj! Thank you for your note and kind words. Awh, yes. You see exactly the problem with volume measurements (and why professional bakers always use a scale)! There seems to be no standard for volume! Ha! I compared three different measuring cups and each one cup weighed different amounts of flour – but they were all one cup! I do not use an algorithm or weight based on the measurement you see on a flour bag to calculate weight in my recipes. Everything on Vanilla And Bean is hand measured and weighed using a scale. So, on my blog at least, use the weight! It’s the most accurate. I’ve not tested this recipe with brown butter – but that sounds fantastic! Please let us know if you give it a go! :D I hope this helps Mj.
Made these today and they are amazing! Perfectly crisp with tons of flavor. I used Maker’s Mark bourbon and Madagascar Mexican cured beans, these beans with the bourbon are my favorite combo for homemade vanilla extract. Definitely will make this again and again, thank you!
I’m sober, so I’m wondering if there is a non-alcoholic but similar substitute for the bourbon you can recommend?
Hi KG! You can use more vanilla extract in place of bourbon, however I do not know of a non alcoholic version of vanilla extract. You could also simply use water instead. I hope this helps!
Can’t wait to make these! I have BSB-Brown Sugar Bourbon and think I will use this for the bourbon to see how they taste!! Thank you for the recipe!!
One of my favorites from your blog Traci! I can never ever pass up a good shortbread cookie. LOVE the added bourbon. These are a hit for the holidays and all year long!
Thank you Mare!! I’m SO with you on shortbread, and it’s so darn easy!
Your shortbread cookies look marvelous! I love the flavors – vanilla bean makes everything better. And shortbread has that wonderful melt-in-your-mouth quality. Love!
Shortbread cookies are such a classic. Gotta make them every year! Love this update, Traci! Happy baking!
Hello! Just come across your blog and I’m so thrilled!! All the fun salads and treats!! I am wondering though about your measurements. I see both cups and grams and they are throwing me a loop. I see your probably doing the scoop and level but some things like sugars are off from grams to cups as well. I would love to know which takes propriety to achieve your creative results!! Thanks!!
Hi Kelly! Thank you for your note and stopping by! I measure all my recipes in US standard measurements and in grams – I do not rely on an algotherm to convert my recipes from cups to grams because I’ve found that cup measurements vary from one measuring cup to another (I’ve compared three sets and they’re all different!). What I recommend, especially when baking, is to weigh ingredients as this is most accurate. When cooking, it’s not as important, but I offer both measurements because I have visitors from the US (US standard measurements/cups) and those outside of the US (metric/grams). I hope this helps and you enjoy the cookies!
Shortbreads are by far my favorites and they are so versatile. I just gifted a batch of rosemary lemon shortbreads. Now I’ll have to try these as I love forgoing the cutouts and and the combination of bourbon and vanilla bean is always a winner. Plus the little roll in the Demamara sugar give them just the right festive touch. I’ll be busy making doughs the rest of the week and the baking will follow. Bring on the holidays!
The best shortbread cookies I’ve ever made. Your directions were so precise – thank you! My only critique is that they don’t taste at all like bourbon. Any ideas to amp up the bourbon flavor? I love bourbon cocktails, so I would love more bourbon flavor. Thank you!
Hi Heather! Thank you for your note and review! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the cookies. Oh gosh… bourbon flavor runs the gamut in many of my recipes. Some say too much, some say not enough lol! You could easily go with another Tbs of Bourbon, even replace the 1 Tbs vanilla extract with bourbon and amp up the vanilla beans. I hope this helps!
Oooh! I will try that! Thank you!
So, I made these last night. I couldn’t find Bourbon (because it was New Year’s Day and the store was closed) and I couldn’t find vanilla paste (I’ll continue looking), but I baked these anyway just using lots of vanilla extract in place of the bourbon. These are the best shortbread cookies I’ve ever tasted! My family and visiting friend loves them. This will definitely be a go to recipe. I cant wait to try them with all the right ingredients. Thanks for sharing!!!
Hi Sonya! SO happy to hear of your success with these cookies! Thank you for coming back and leaving a note. Hooray! And your sub for bourbon and paste was spot on. Vanilla Paste can be hard to find. I receive mine from Rodelle . It’s a bit pricy, but it lasts for a long time and a little goes a long way.
Is it possible to add more bourbon? I would like to do that to be able to taste it better.
Hey Tammy! Thank you for your note… since I’ve not tested this recipe with additional bourbon, it’s hard to say how much additional bourbon the dough would be able to tolerate. If you do try adding more bourbon, perhaps start with an additional 2 tsp to one tablespoon. You may need to bake them a bit longer for them to dry out. Just watch them so they don’t get too dark. I hope this helps, and we’d love to know if you give it a try, and how they turn out.
I’ve just come across these cookies Traci and not only is my mouth watering just looking at them, I’m frantically adding them to my ‘mustn’t forget’ list to bake up for next Christmas because sadly I didn’t find them in time for this year. Er..or more realistically I’ll just ignore ‘holiday food’ convention and bake them the next time I get a chance! Thanks for sharing and I hope your Christmas was as relaxing as you’d hoped!
Totally ignore the ‘holiday food’ on this one Erika. I bake these year round, actually. For gifts, special occasions, to enjoy with ice cream (I cut them much thinner and bake for around 15-18 minutes) or just to nom on! They are so delightful! You’re welcome my dear! Enjoy!
Yes, agree! Shortbread cookies make such a classy gift! I’m all for having less and experiencing more. Love how you rolled these in sugar- those sparkles! Wishing you the most wonderful Christmas, Traci!
I like how you think, Emily! Yes… the sugar really sparkles in the sunlight (although I had difficulty capturing that in these photos :( . Have a wonderful holiday my dear! :D
I love these cookies….especially the sugary outside! I think I’d nibble my way around this cookie eating all the sugar first! As far as Christmas gifts….you know it’s a good gift when it is used over and over again. Good old duck tape will fix just about anything!
Hey Kathy! No doubt that sugar gets nibbled on! Those socks.. I’m telling ya, are just perfect for cold feet! :D
I am only doing gift cards this year, so yay for gift cards and zero time at the mall! Love the socks you gift! I’m not a man, but I want me a few pairs of those!! ;) As for these cookies, you know I love them… right? I mean helllllo bourbon IN a short bread cookie!? WITH vanilla beans?! I swoon!! And I drool! These are perfection! I’m going to make two batches, one to eat ASAP and one for my freezer.. to eat as soon as I run out of the first batch! LOVE these, Traci!! Pinned! Cheers, doll! Xoxo
Hooray! I wear those socks like a boss, Cheyanne and they’re big on my feet but that’s no matter! I relish in all that toe space! haha! I knew you’d appreciate this cookie… with so few ingredients, that bourbon is really nice! Thank you my dear! xo
Love your way of gift-gifting around the holidays! Shortbread is definitely a favorite of mine, too! These cookies look gorgeous! Pinned!
I love when you post about shortbread too, Mira. You have so many creative recipes! Thank you my dear! :D
Traci, these sound amazing…and look so pretty! I love your perspective on gift=giving and the holidays…I needed to hear that right about now! Peace and balance…peace and balance! xo
No doubt, subtle reminders are always helpful. I think I’ll write that on my chalk board this morning! hehe.. Peace and Balance… thank you Caroline! :D
I am not ready for Christmas at all!! I guess I’m as ready as I’m going to be though! That is so nice that you guys give each other such thoughtful gifts! I hate when people just buy each other junk just for the sake of buying presents. This year we are going to just get each other a few small things and then hopefully buy something for the house that we have been needing. These cookies look just as beautiful as they do delicious! They would be the perfect Christmas gift for someone special :)
No doubt, the ‘stuff’ piles up, Izzy… I couldn’t agree more. Getting something for the house is always fun…. We’ve done that before too. Like new landscaping! :D
Traci these are absolutely perfect! I love the simple shortbread with the deep rich flavors, I bet I could easily eat that whole stack!
Agreed! Shortbread is way underrated.. That stack did get eaten! ;) Thank you Sam!
I love any flavor of shortbread and these sound absolutely delicious! I could easily eat way too many. I love the raw sugar on them. It looks like ice crystals and dresses them up perfectly for this time of year!
Thank you Sandra! And I have… eaten too many! When the sun is out, those sugar crystals sparkle like glitter! :D
The. Perfect. Cookie. Happy Holidays, Traci!!!
If anyone, you Meagan, can appreciate this cookie! Thank you my dear! :D
Yes. Perfect for Christmas with my in-laws! This one is being bookmarked :)
Bourbon infused buttery cookies? I say yes! And they’re so beautiful! I adore the last picture with the lovely wrapping… How tickled I’d be to receive that stack as a gift! I am with you on the shopping these days…I used to look so forward to braving the crowds and being in the center of that kind of energy – but there’s definitely been a shift. We too prefer giving and receiving experiences as gifts…Thanks for this lovely post and the chuckle I had thinking about your dad and his duck-taped socks!
I love these cookies Traci, and why not?…they are booze infused buttery cookies, perfect. Your cookies just look perfectly sized and baked and wrapped. Pinning it everywhere.
I completely agree with your about the experience, means so much than huge presents. Hubby always gave spa gifts and I adored it. Your pops sounds like a sweet funny man…My heart swells when it comes to parents, so special.
Btw..cozy socks and flannels are a must.
Happy Holidays to you and Rob my friend.
xoxo
A big YES to the peace and balance mantra! So tough when it is so busy around Christmas time, but I agree that it is important to not be stressed out leading up to the day – not a fun experience! Your low-key Christmas plans sound perfect – on the other hand, I am covering dessert for 25..
Love the sound of these shortbread cookies too – I haven’t really tried shortbread much but you have wholeheartedly convinced me. They look perfect for coffee dunking too! Thanks for sharing <3
I love these slice and bake cookies, and the bourbon and vanilla flavors here! The sugar on the edges is so pretty. And that packaging is gorgeous! I am totally with you on giving experiences instead of stuff. We already have enough stuff, AND going to the mall in December has become a total nightmare. I love your ideas!
Give a gift experience is a great idea, Traci – I think that would be fondly remembered – and a spa day who doesn’t love that! As for these super yummy cookies – I love the idea of bourbon and vanilla together – and I know you love to use bourbon in your cooking! Happy holidays to you and Rob!
My week is going great Traci! And it just got a whole lot better with this cookie recipe! Wow! Shortbread is my all time favorite type of cookie! And the added bourbon…YES!! Hope your week is going well too. Enjoy your weekend.
Oh that’s good to hear Mary Ann! I know your love of Bourbon too! hehe… :D
Bring on the cookies!! Another perfect batch, Traci! I love the sound of bourbon and vanilla together!
Also, I think your gifting ideas are genius. I agree, experiences are much more meaningful than tangible things. Except for a nice pair of socks, lol! I’m the same way with these fleece pants that I have. I wear them every day in the winter because they’re so thick and warm. I really need to get another pair, haha!
Thank you Sarah! Oh they pair so well together! I know, right? Who doesn’t need warm and cozy socks? They all wear out at some point… Fleece pants are the bessstt… I can’t seem to make a transition from my yoga pants : 0 ! Thank you for the reminder!