Browned Butter Shortbread Cookies
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons high-quality salted butter, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a medium bowl over a bowl of ice water.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until butter turns a medium-brown color and has a nutty aroma, about 10 minutes. Pour browned butter into prepared bowl in ice bath; stir in milk. Continue stirring until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from ice bath; let stand at room temperature until the consistency of softened butter, about 10 minutes.
  3. Beat browned butter with a mixer at medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar and reserved vanilla bean seeds; beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour, and beat until combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough ¼ inch thick. Using a 2-inch fluted round cutter, cut dough, and place on prepared pans. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  5. Bake for 7 minutes. Rotate pans, and bake until light golden brown, about 7 minutes more. Let cool to room temperature.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/browned-butter-shortbread-cookies/