Whole Wheat Shortbread Cookies– With Brown Sugar

Three simple ingredients, real butter, brown sugar, and whole wheat flour, combine to make buttery whole wheat shortbread cookies that melt in your mouth. And they’re lower on the glycemic index than cookies made with all-purpose flour, which makes me love them even more!

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I literally did a happy dance right there in the kitchen when I first tasted these cookies! I left them to cool and put the baby down for a nap, only to discover when I returned that our always-hungry Red Setter had eaten them all! Luckily, they're not difficult to make, so I quickly made another batch in time for Fika (Swedish coffee break)! Here are some of my favorite drinks to enjoy with them: Nordic Spiced Hot Chocolate and Cardamom Latte With Honey! I hope you enjoy!

You can use this cookie recipe to shape your shortbread in a few ways: 

• Roll the dough out and use a cookie cutter or glass jar to make individual cookies. 
• Make a sausage-shaped roll and chill before using a sharp knife to cut rounds. It’s a really quick and simple way to make shortbread and gives a rustic look to the cookies.
• Roll out the dough and cut it into rectangles with a sharp knife ( like in this Salted Lemon Shortbread recipe).
• It can also be used to make tarts and pies. Instead of rolling the dough out, you can simply press it evenly into a pie form, prick it with a fork, and prebake for 8-10 minutes. 

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Ingredients

• Makes 12 – 16 cookies
• 1 stick/ 8 tbsp/ 113g Butter – at room temperature. 
• 1/4 Cup/ 50g  Brown sugar – light muscovado sugar adds a delicious molasses flavor to these cookies. You can also use cane sugar, or granulated sugar works just fine. 
• 3/4 Cup/ 120g Whole wheat flour—Stone-ground flour contains more nutrients and is, therefore, a great option. Of course, regular whole wheat flour works just fine. Coarsely ground flour produces a more rustic cookie with a satisfying bite, while finely ground flour yields a smoother, more delicate texture that resembles classic shortbread.
• Optional:
  1/4 tsp salt – a tiny bit of salt makes these cookies taste so good!
  1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

–This easy recipe makes a small batch of cookies, so I find it easy to mix the dough by hand using a wooden spoon or an electric hand mixer. 
–If you prefer to use a stand mixer, double the recipe ingredients and use the paddle attachment at low speed. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
–You can also use a food processor to combine the ingredients carefully. We want to create tender cookies and do not need to activate the gluten, like when mixing bread dough!  

• Large bowl
• Wooden spoon or electric hand mixer
• 1 Large cookie sheet (baking sheet)
• Parchment paper (baking paper)

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl by stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon or electric mixer. The aim is to dissolve the sugar in the butter to create a smooth paste. 

2. Add the flour, salt, and vanilla ( if using) to the butter mixture and mix gently until combined. 
Form a ball and cover with plastic wrap. 
Whole wheat flour takes a little time to absorb liquid and will need to rest for 10 minutes. 

If you find the cookie dough to be a little dry, add a teaspoon of water or wet your hands with cold water and continue to mix the dough until it becomes a smooth dough. Shortbread dough should not be sticky.

3. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. You can use a floured surface or roll it between two sheets of parchment paper. 
Use a small glass jar or cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the dough. 

Dipping your jar or cookie cutter in a little flour can help the cookie to release from the rim. It's helpful to use a bench scraper to move and handle your cookies.

4. Bring together any dough scraps, roll them out again to the same thickness, and cut out as many cookies as possible. 

5. Place the cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill for 20 minutes. 

Using chilled dough helps prevent the shortbread from spreading during baking. This is because the cold butter in the dough slows down its melting process, allowing the cookies to maintain their shape. So don't be tempted to skip this step!

6. Preheat the oven to  370°F/ 190°C and bake the cookies for 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Storage

Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. They also freeze really well.

Variations

• I often use spelt flour for a slightly nutty flavor. 
• For an oaty flavor, swap out 50g of whole wheat flour for 50 g of finely ground oat flour. 
• For a twist on classic shortbread cookies, add 1/4 teaspoon of rosemary and lemon zest from one lemon to the dough. 
• For chocolate chip cookies, carefully press chocolate chips into each cookie before baking.
• Use unsalted butter if following a low-sodium diet.