Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
- Makes about 40 cookies (about 20 filled sandwich cookies)
- 2 egg yolks
- 160 g (1⅓ cups) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour (plain flour), sifted
- 240 g (1 cup + 1 Tbsp) softened butter, or 200 g (⅞ cup) sunflower oil + 40 ml (2½ Tbsp) water
- 1 pinch salt
- 5 g (1 tsp) baking powder (optional)
- To fill the cookies
- 150 g (½ cup) chocolate spread or jam
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla sugar until smooth, then add the softened butter (or the oil and water). Pour in the flour and baking powder and mix everything together (use the paddle attachment if you’re making the dough in a stand mixer).
Shape the dough into a ball with your hands. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out to a thickness of about 0.5-0.7 cm (¼ inch). Cut out with a cookie cutter into whatever shape you like. Arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden (adjust the time depending on your oven and the thickness of your cookies).
Let cool, then top with a teaspoon of the chocolate spread or jam of your choice before covering with a second cookie.
Tips and variations
- For chocolate shortbread cookies, you can add 3 level Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder to the dough.
- You can also add the zest of an organic (unwaxed) orange at the same time as the vanilla sugar.
- Don’t throw away your egg whites: in just a few minutes you can make some lovely financiers.