Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies (Stamped or Plain)
I first learned to make brown sugar shortbread cookies from a Scottish family recipe. Over the years, I’ve refined the recipe and the technique so the cookies release cleanly from cookie stamps, hold their stamped shape, and bake evenly. If you don’t have cookie stamps, the dough still bakes up beautifully when pressed with the bottom of a drinking glass.
“I’ve never made shortbread before, these are so lightly sweet, crunchy and easy. Thank you, a keeper, I’m impressed!” — Mary
I love to thrift. A number of years ago, I found two handmade blue and white ceramic discs with a flower carved on the bottom and a small handle on top. I had no clue what they were, but I knew they were unique and interesting.
A friend’s husband noticed them on my Instagram stories one day and reached out to tell me they were Scottish shortbread cookie stamps, and that the flower, which I had thought was a tulip, was actually a Scottish thistle. After a few messages back and forth, we agreed on a trade. I’d give him one of the two stamps, and he’d give me his Scottish mother’s brown sugar shortbread recipe, which I’m now sharing with you.
I find brown sugar lends a warmer flavour than traditional white granulated sugar, and as the cookies bake, you will smell that gorgeous caramelization throughout your house. The dough doesn’t need to be chilled, the cookies don’t spread much, and with a deeply carved stamp, they hold their shape beautifully. They’re crisp and packable, perfect for cookie tins, and over the years have become my own family’s favourite Christmas cookie.
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A Note From Kelly
This is my family’s number one favourite Christmas cookie recipe. It’s consistent and easy to work with, and the dough always behaves the same way, which is a relief when you’re in the throes of the holiday season. My family now not only expects them, but starts asking about them long before December.
How to Use Cookie Stamps for This Recipe
Using cookie stamps with this shortbread dough is simple because the dough holds detail cleanly without chilling. Below are the four stamps shown in the photos, including one drinking glass, and how each one behaves with this recipe.
A. Scottish Thistle Ceramic Stamp
This handmade ceramic stamp has a deep, concave carving that presses firmly into the dough and creates a very defined pattern once baked. It was one of my thrifted finds, and the design holds especially well because the dough barely spreads. The cookies come out crisp, clear, and evenly shaped every time.
B. Drinking Glass
I used a crystal drinking glass with a simple carved pattern on its flat base, and I was surprised by how well it behaved. Even though it isn’t a dedicated cookie stamp, the design pressed evenly into the dough and held its shape in the oven. A glass with a decorative or plain bottom is a reliable option if you don’t own cookie stamps.
C. Terracotta Pine Cone Cookie Stamp
This terracotta stamp isn’t as deeply carved as the thistle design, but it still produces a clear impression after baking. The pine cone has a softer edge and a slightly more rustic look, which suits this dough well. It was another thrifted find, however, Birdsall-Worthington Pottery Ltd, located in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, makes very similar terracotta cookie stamps.
D. Interchangeable Silicone Stamps with Wood Handle
These silicone holiday stamps, which I bought at Homesense, have deep, outward-facing designs that press straight into the dough and release easily. The depth of the carving helps the details stay sharp, even the letters, which I was a bit surprised by. These finished cookies have the cleanest, most graphic look of all the stamps.
Ingredients For Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: I use salted butter for all of my recipes. Make sure it is soft at room temperature so it creams properly with the sugar.
- Salt: I use table salt for all of my recipes.
- Sugar (Brown): Look for dark brown sugar, sometimes called old-fashioned brown sugar. Do not use light brown sugar or demerara sugar.
- Sugar (Granulated): Standard white sugar is used for rolling the dough balls before stamping to prevent sticking.
- Vanilla Extract: Use any vanilla you like or have on hand.
It’s important to note that when making substitutions in recipes, the texture and flavour may be slightly different. However, these substitutes are the best options for changing the original recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Butter: You can use unsalted butter and add an extra ¼ teaspoon of table salt to the dough.
- Salt: You can use fine sea salt in the same amount.
- Vanilla Extract: You can use ½ teaspoon of almond extract in place of 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Recipe Variations
Try any of the following for a twist on this brown sugar shortbread recipe:
- Cardamom (Ground): ½ teaspoon, added to the flour
- Cinnamon (Ground): 1 teaspoon, added to the flour
- Maple Extract: ½ teaspoon, added with the vanilla extract
- Nuts: ¼ cup almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans, toasted and finely chopped, stirred into the dough with the flour
- Orange Zest: Up to 1 tablespoon, mixed into the butter and sugar at the start
- Rosemary: 1 teaspoon, fresh, finely chopped, mixed in with the flour
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of this post, or scroll to the bottom to see the PRINTABLE recipe card with ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How To Make Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
STEP 1: Place the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
STEP 2: Mix at medium-high speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through.
STEP 3: Add the flour, then mix on low speed until a soft dough forms in large clumps.
STEP 4: Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead it by hand until smooth.
STEP 5: Divide the dough into 24 equal portions, and roll each one into a smooth ball between your hands.
STEP 6: Roll the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar to coat.
STEP 7: Set the balls on two prepared baking sheets. Press each dough ball firmly in the centre using a cookie stamp or the flat bottom of a drinking glass.
STEP 8: Bake the cookies until the edges are set and lightly golden. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before storing or gifting.
Expert Tips
- I beat the butter and brown sugar for five minutes so the mixture becomes light and creamy, which helps the dough come together smoothly and hold a clean stamped shape.
- Cracking along the edges of the cookies when stamping is a sign that you have the correct butter-to-flour ratio. It’s a good thing.
- Let the cookies cool fully before storing because they firm up as they cool and pack more neatly once set.
Recipe Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
- To switch to gram measurements, click “Metric grams” in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
- The dough is traditionally mixed by hand and feels quite dry at first. If you are not using a mixer, it may seem like the flour will not incorporate, but keep going, and it will become soft and pliable.
- The cookies bake well without chilling. If your kitchen is warm or you prefer even sharper stamped details, you can freeze the stamped cookies for 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
- Rolling the dough balls in sugar is optional, but it helps prevent the stamp from sticking.
- Stamped cookies made with a 2 to 2 ¼ inch (5 to 5.5 cm) stamp are usually about ¼ inch thick. Avoid stamping or pressing the dough balls beyond 2 to 2 ¼ inches (5 to 5.5 cm). Larger stamps create thinner cookies that bake more quickly
Storage
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. You can also freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to two months.
More Christmas Cookies Like These Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
Printable Recipe Card
Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoon or digital kitchen scale
- Two baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Electric mixer and mixing bowl
- Cookie stamp(s) (about 2 to 2 ¼ inches) or drinking glass
- Wire racks
Ingredients US cups or switch to Metric grams
- 1 cup salted butter (room temperature to soft)
- ½ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer set to medium high speed for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl halfway through.
- Scrape down the bowl again and add the flour, then mix on low speed until a soft dough forms in large clumps.
- Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and knead it by hand about 20 times until smooth.
- Divide the dough into 24 equal portions, about 27 g each, and roll each one into a smooth ball between your hands.
- Place the granulated sugar in a small bowl and roll each dough ball in the sugar to coat, then set the balls on the prepared baking sheets, 12 per sheet, spaced about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.
- Press each dough ball firmly in the centre using a cookie stamp about 2 to 2 ¼ inches (5 to 5.5 cm) wide, or use the flat bottom of a drinking glass the same size, pressing until the dough just reaches the edge of the stamp or glass.
- Bake the cookies for 22 to 24 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely before storing or gifting.
Notes
- For detailed ingredient notes, substitution tips, variations, and step-by-step photos, scroll through the full recipe post.
- Use a digital kitchen scale for precise measurements and an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly. To switch to gram measurements, click “Metric grams” in the ingredients section of the recipe card.
- The dough is traditionally mixed by hand and feels quite dry at first. If you are not using a mixer, it may seem like the flour will not incorporate, but keep going, and it will become soft and pliable.
- The cookies bake well without chilling. If your kitchen is warm or you prefer even sharper stamped details, you can freeze the stamped cookies for 20 to 30 minutes before baking.
- Rolling the dough balls in sugar is optional, but it helps prevent the stamp from sticking.
- Stamped cookies made with a 2 to 2 ¼ inch (5 to 5.5 cm) stamp are usually about ¼ inch thick. Avoid stamping or pressing the dough balls beyond 2 to 2 ¼ inches (5 to 5.5 cm). Larger stamps create thinner cookies that bake more quickly.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. You can also freeze baked cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag for up to two months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided as a courtesy. For precise nutritional data, please calculate it independently using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?Leaving a rating and/or a comment helps others find my work, which genuinely supports what I do. Thank you!
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Kelly Neil is a recipe developer, food photographer, and lifelong Nova Scotian building a sense of home and identity through recipes. She lives in her hometown of Dartmouth with her partner, Chris, their daughter, Elodie, and their little dog, Skipper.
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The cookies are great and super easy to make even with a hand mixer. Next time I will keep an eye on them as mine got too brown.
I’ve never made shortbread before, these are so lightly sweet, crunchy and easy, Thankyou, a keeper, I’m impressed!
The thistle stamp was a good find! I like it and wish I would have known about cookie stamps when I took a pottery class.
Now one of my favorite stamped cookie recipe.
Thank you!
These look terrific. Thank you!
Easy to make and taste delicious. This recipe is a keeper.
Hi, this recipe is almost identical to the shortbread I make, except I add 1/4 cup Cornstarch to the flour. Otherwise ingredients and amounts are the same.
I roll my dough out though, 3/8″ thick and use a 2″ round cookie cutter to make cookies. In my oven, 15 minutes @ 350 F and they’re done.
Next time, I’ll try using a 2″ cookie stamp. Instead of rolling in granulated sugar, have you ever thought about using demerara sugar. How thick do your cookies come out? Hubby prefers 3/8″ thick over 1/4″ thick.
Thanks
Oh nice, I’ll have to try that Barb! I’ve read adding a touch of cornstarch or rice flour gives shortbread a crispier texture. I think I’ll try rolling them for a change with this addition, and no I haven’t tried Demerara sugar though I do have a bag in my pantry! Will give it a go this Christmas. Thanks for stopping by! 🎄🥰
May I please ask, does the 1/4 cup of corn starch replace one fourth of the flour or do you still use 2 cups of flour?
I’m testing some recipes for Christmas, and these cookies are absolutely completely delightful!
Hi Rebecca! Adding cornstarch to shortbread can give it a more delicate, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Cornstarch has a finer texture compared to all-purpose flour and doesn’t contain gluten, which can make the shortbread crumblier and softer. A common substitution ratio is to replace 1/4 to 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour with cornstarch so can use up to 1/2 cup of cornstarch. Rice flour is another option! It tends to give shortbread a slightly sandy, yet tender texture. It also contributes to a nice crumbly shortbread because it is low in gluten so the one you choose depends on the result you’re looking for. Let me know if you have any further questions and happy baking!
Do you recommend light or dark brown sugar
Hi there! Sorry this reply is coming to you so late! I recommend dark brown sugar, sometimes called old fashioned brown sugar, for the deepest richest flavor!
Can this be made ahead and the dough refrigerated before baking?
Hey Megan! If you’re planning to stamp the cookies, I would recommend rolling the dough into balls, stamping them, and then refrigerating or even freezing them. If you want to chill the dough without doing that, you’d probably have to bring it to room temp for 15 minutes at least before rolling and stamping. Although now you’ve made me curious as to whether this dough could be chilled and rolled like a sugar cookie, or even pre-scooped with a cookie scoop, refrigerated, and baked. I’ll give it a go this weekend! Let me know if you have any other questions!🤗
Excellent Recipe!
Hi, my dough was vert soft! I tried adding flour but stayed soft, it isn’t holding the pattern very well. Any suggestions on why the dough is soft?
Wendy
Hi Wendy! I’m sorry for the trouble you’re having with the dough. Here are a few suggestions that could help: If your butter was too warm, it could have made the dough soft. Try refrigerating it briefly before using! Also, I highly recommend Using a kitchen scale for accuracy and consistency. And one more thing. Chilling the dough briefly for about 20-30 minutes may help it firm up! I’m going to make sure to add these notes to the recipe so that other readers won’t have these struggles. Thank you so much for letting me know and I hope you try the cookies again! They are our family favorite!
I used your recipe to make cookies for my nieces wedding. Except as per her request I used a moon cake press, and they turned out incredible. They kept their shape and made her day extra special!
Omg this is amazing Maddy! Yay!! I’ve never tried a mooncake press but they are so beautiful. SO GLAD you loved the recipe!! And thank you for letting me know🥰
Second year making these and they were a HUGE hit! We modified the recipe this year to add in 1/2 tsp of almond extract with the vanilla. My family couldn’t stop eating them! Unfortunately, I had to go gluten free so I couldn’t partake this year. Do you think you can make these with a GF flour or different flour alternative? Thank you for this awesome recipe!
Hi Katie! I’m so happy you love this recipe😍 If I was going to make these gluten-free I think I’d probably go straight for a cup-to-cup gluten free flour. The texture and consistency may change, but this is probably your best bet! Happy baking!
I made these cookies this weekend and they turned out wonderful. Only thing I would suggest is —I would probably split the dough and put half in the fridge, because as I got to the end, it got too soft and it just didn’t stamp as well —but beautiful and delicious.
Kelly, I would like to make this recipe because I like the idea of using brown sugar for a change. I have a question before I try it: the 2 cups of flour makes sense to me based on the other ingredient quantities; however, the metric quantity of 300 grams seems quite high (~ 1/4 cup) for a 2-cup equivalent. I would have used 254g of AP flour to equal 2 cups. Please advise, or let me know if you personally make this recipe using volume measurements or weight. That will help me know how to proceed. I know the end result will be delish!
Hi Becky, thank you so much for your question!
I completely understand where you’re coming from, as flour conversions can vary depending on the baker or source. While some people use a conversion of around 120–130 grams per cup, I personally use 150 grams per cup in all of my recipes (we also use the same conversion on my other collaborative blog https://bakedcollective.com/). Alex, Sophie, and I have tested this measurement extensively, and it consistently produces the best results for us, including these cookies, which I make every Christmas! If you choose to use 254 grams, your dough may turn out slightly softer, and the stamp may not hold it’s shape.
Let me know if you have any other questions, and happy baking! 🍪😊
Thank you for clarifying the amount of flour, Kelly. I used 300g as you advised. I also added ~1/2 tsp. almond extract. I wanted to see if the dough would hold a stamp imprint if baked in a quarter-sheet pan, so I stamped, then chilled in the fridge for 20 minutes. It held fairly well, but 30 minutes chill time might have been better.
In any case, they are absolutely delicious! From the very first bite, it’s surprisingly wonderful. Next time I’ll roll the dough in balls as per the recipe and try my stamps. Thank you for the superb recipe!
These turned out perfect. A friend had made (carved) a cookie stamp for me and I couldn’t wait to try it out.
These are so good!
I made these shortbread stamped cookies for an Irish presentation about our ancestors arriving in Canada in 1847. I purchased a cookie stamp with the Claddagh stamp. Cookies turned out perfect. I made a double batch and everyone thought they were delicious. Today I’m making another batch for another presentation of a different family. Thanks for the great recipe.
I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to find this recipe again for this Christmas since it’s now the one my family really wants. I’ve printed several copies now for safe keeping and to share. You just can’t beat easy and delicious together!