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Whole Wheat Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies
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Whole Wheat Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies

Servings 8 cookies
Author Brandon Matzek

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan
  • ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

  • Butter an 11" fluted tart pan with removable bottom and set aside.
  • Warm butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. The butter will melt, then foam and bubble, then start to brown. You will notice little brown bits forming at the bottom of the pan. Stir frequently during this process and keep your attention on the pot. You will know the butter is done when it gives off a nutty aroma and turns a golden brown (check out this great resource for how to brown butter). Remove brown butter from the heat and set aside to cool.
  • In a large bowl, sift together both flours and kosher salt. Set aside.
  • Add confectioners' sugar and cooled brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until combined. Add the sifted flour and salt and mix on medium-low until just combined (do not overmix). The dough will look grainy and crumbly. Pinch off a small amount of dough and press in your hands. The dough should hold together. If not, add cold water a teaspoon at a time and mix until it does.
  • Turn the dough out on to the buttered tart pan. Using a piece of plastic wrap, press the dough into the tart pan with your hands in an even layer. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 300°F . Place a rack in the top third of the oven.
  • Take the dough out of the refrigerator and discard the plastic wrap. Cut out a circle in the middle of the dough with a 2 ¼ inch cookie cutter and set aside for nibbling during the baking process. Place the cookie cutter back in the middle. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 even wedges. Using a tooth pick, prick small holes in each wedge.
  • Transfer pan to the preheated oven and cook until golden brown (1 hour). Transfer pan to a wire rack. Recut the shortbread into wedges (I also had to reprick some of the holes). Let cool completely in the tart pan.