Elegant Cherry Blossom Vanilla Bean Shortbread Cookies
Delicate, buttery shortbread cookies infused with real vanilla bean and shaped like cherry blossoms, perfect for tea time or gifting.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 whole vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Cherry blossom cookie cutter (optional)
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Slice the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds using the back of the knife. Set the seeds aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with ½ cup granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Add vanilla bean seeds halfway through creaming.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing on low speed or folding gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. If sticky, chill longer.
- Use a cherry blossom cookie cutter to cut shapes and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Re-roll scraps gently once or twice.
- Bake at 325°F (165°C) for 12-15 minutes until edges just begin to turn golden. Watch carefully to avoid overbaking.
- Cool cookies completely on a wire rack. Optionally, dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Chill the dough before and after cutting to maintain cookie shape. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender. Use quality vanilla bean for best flavor. Lightly flour cookie cutters to prevent sticking. Dough can be refrigerated up to 48 hours or frozen for a month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Fat: 7
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Protein: 1
Keywords: shortbread cookies, cherry blossom cookies, vanilla bean cookies, tea time treats, homemade cookies, buttery cookies, floral cookies