Ina Garten Ginger Shortbread

Ina Garten ginger shortbread is a buttery, crumbly cookie with crystallized ginger, vanilla and plenty of butter that comes together in 1 hour 30 minutes. This make ahead easy dessert fits holiday cookie trays, afternoon tea time and simple dinner parties all season long.

Mix the butter and sugar just until combined and never whip them, because air makes the cookies puff and spread. Whip it and you lose that dense, sandy shortbread crumb.

Ina Garten built this cookie on the shortbread Eli Zabar sells at E.A.T. on Madison Avenue, which she loved enough to ask him for the recipe. Then she folded in minced crystallized ginger, so the cookie ends up both spicy and sweet, as printed in Make It Ahead (2014).

Source: Make It Ahead (2014)

Ina Garten Ginger Shortbread

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

22

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

230

kcal

Dense, sandy shortbread rolled thick and studded with chewy bits of crystallized ginger. A sprinkle of sugar before baking gives each round a light, sparkly crunch on top.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  

• 1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
  

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  

• 3/4 cup minced crystallized ginger (not in syrup)
  

Directions

• Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F. That way it is fully hot by the time the dough has chilled.
• Cream the butter: Mix 3/4 pound butter and 1 cup sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed. Stop as soon as they are combined, because whipping adds air the dough does not need.
• Add the vanilla: Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and 2 teaspoons water to the bowl. Then mix until everything is combined.
• Add the flour: Sift 3 1/2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture slowly and mix until the dough starts to come together.
• Fold in the ginger: Add 3/4 cup minced crystallized ginger and mix it in. Then dump the dough onto a generously floured surface and shape it into a flat disk.
• Chill the dough: Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill it for 30 minutes. Cold dough rolls out cleanly and keeps its shape in the oven.
• Roll and cut: Roll the dough 3/8 inch thick and cut circles with a 2 3/4-inch plain round cookie cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle them with sugar.
• Bake the cookies: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges start to brown. Then cool them to room temperature before serving.

Tools for this recipe

• KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, Ateco 11-piece round cutter set, J.K. Adams French rolling pin, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I make ginger shortbread ahead of time?

Yes, and it is built for it. Shape and cut the dough into rounds, pack them in sealed containers and keep them in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze them for up to 3 months. Bake them right before serving.

Why chill the cut cookies before baking?

Ina Garten finds the edges come out slightly sharper if the cut cookies chill for 10 minutes first. The cold butter melts more slowly in the oven, so the rounds hold their shape.

Can I use ginger in syrup or ground ginger instead of crystallized ginger?

Stick with crystallized ginger that is not in syrup, as the recipe calls for. Syrup would make the dough wet and sticky. Ground ginger gives spice but misses the chewy, sweet bites.

Can I make these without a stand mixer?

A hand mixer works fine, since you only need to combine the butter and sugar gently. You can also work the dough by hand with a wooden spoon, as long as the butter is soft.

What is the most common mistake with shortbread?

Overmixing the butter and sugar is the big one, because whipping puts air in the dough and the cookies puff instead of staying dense. Mix just until combined, and don't skip the 30-minute chill.