German Shortbread Cookies - Heidesand

"Heidesand" cookies are traditional German brown butter Shortbread cookies. But don't be fooled by their basic look! The browned butter and the fact that they're made without eggs gives them a very unique buttery soft, and tender texture.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Resting Time 3

Total Time 3 35

Tools

Ingredients

For Matcha Shortbread

▢ 2 teaspoon matcha powder
▢ ⅓ shortbread base dough

For Lime Shortbread

▢ 1 teaspoon lime zest
▢ ⅓ shortbread base dough

Chocolate and Vanilla Shortbread

▢ 2 teaspoon cocoa (100% pure cocoa powder)
▢ ⅓ shortbread base dough

Instructions

Classic German Shortbread Cookies

Place a pot on the stove. On medium heat, melt the butter slowly until it turns gold brown and starts to smell fragrant.
275 g butter
Remove the butter from the heat and transfer to a heat-resistant bowl. Let it cool down for approximately 1 hour until it has reached room temperature.
Add the sugar, vanilla extract, milk and salt to the butter and mix using the hand mixer until creamy.
170 g sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 pinch salt, 2 tablespoon milk
Next, add the flour and baking powder gradually and continue to mix on medium power. The dough mix will be very crumbly.
375 g flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder
Subsequently, continue to knead the dough with your hands until all ingredients are mixed well.
Split the dough into 3 even parts. Out of each part, form a roll that is roughly 1 ¼ inch / 2.5 cm thick and wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
Let the cookie dough rolls chill in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 360℉ / 180 ℃.
Take the shortbread dough rolls out of the fridge and remove the wrap. Cut the dough into roughly ¼ inch / 6mm thick slices and place the cookie dough slices on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven until the outside corners turn slightly golden.

Matcha Shortbread Cookies

Following Step 6 split the dough into three even parts - Take one of the three Heidesand cookie dough balls and add the Matcha powder. Mix well until the dough has an even green color.
⅓ shortbread base dough, 2 teaspoon matcha powder
Form cookie dough roll according to the description in Step 6 and proceed with Steps 7-10.

Lime Shortbread Cookies

Following Step 6 split the dough into three even parts - Take one of the three Heidesand cookie dough balls and add the lime zest powder. Knead the dough until the lime zest is mixed in well.
⅓ shortbread base dough, 1 teaspoon lime zest
Form cookie dough roll according to the description in Step 6 and proceed with Steps 7-10.

Chocolate and Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

Following Step 6 split the dough into three even parts - Take one of the three Heidesand cookie dough balls and add split it in half.
⅓ shortbread base dough, 2 teaspoon cocoa
Take one out of the two parts and add the cocoa powder. Knead the dough until the cocoa is mixed in well and the dough has an even chocolate brown color.
Form two dough rolls out of the cocoa and classic shortbread dough that are even in length and thickness. Press two cookie dough rolls together and form one even dough roll according to the description in Step 6 and proceed with Steps 7-10.

Notes

Tip!

If the dough is too brittle to cut, let it sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before proceeding. The butter is too cold and the dough will fall apart. Allowing the cookie dough to warm up slightly will solve the problem.

NUTRITION FACTS

Keywords Christmas Cookies, Egg Free, German Butter Cookies, German Christmas Cookies, German Cookies, Heidesand

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