The cinnamon shortbread that’ll keep you coming back for more
Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
Stir 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon together in a small bowl.
Beat 2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter and 1 cup powdered sugar with the paddle attachment in a stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in 1 room temperature large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until combined.
Whisk 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon together in a medium bowl. With the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just combined.
Divide the dough into 2 portions (about 12 ounces each). Form each portion into a 4-inch-wide disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Meanwhile, arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds. Heat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Unwrap 1 disc of dough and place on a lightly floured work surface (if it was refrigerated overnight, let it sit at room temperature for about 8 minutes to take the chill off first). Lightly dust the top of the disc and a rolling pin with flour. Roll out until 1/4-inch thick. (Alternatively, roll out the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper.) Using a 2-inch star cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as you can.
Transfer the stars to one of the baking sheets, leaving a little bit of space between each one (they don’t grow much during baking). Repeat rolling out the second disc of dough until both baking sheets are filled.
Bake for 7 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 8 minutes more. Meanwhile, gather the dough scraps together and shape back into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Let the cookies cool for about 3 minutes. Toss each cookie while still warm in the cinnamon sugar until evenly coated all over, then place on a wire rack. Let cool completely. You can reroll the dough scraps and cut out and bake up to 2 more rounds of cookies; discard any remaining dough scraps, as they will bake up tough.
