Oh cookies, why do you have to be so good?! Every year I determine not to make a many Christmas cookies as I did the year before. And every year, I get started and fail miserably. Once I start baking (and taste-testing) the excitement and sugar rush take over. It doesn’t help that my kids are right there beside me, egging on the euphoric cookie escapade. They are bad influences.
Shortbread Cookies with Caramel Centers
This year, I’ve decided only to make shortbread cookies. Or at least cookies that fall under the categories of sugar cookies, butter cookies, and cut-out cookies, which all have a similar base. Will I be able to hold to my resolve? Probably not. However, when I made this Caramel Shortbread Recipe I felt that no other cookie could stand up to its crumbly buttery texture and the rich lure of creamy caramel. I think I could live off of them… And maybe a few vegetables for good measure.
What Is The Difference Between A Sugar Cookie And A Shortbread Cookie?
Although both types of cookies are sweet and buttery, there is a big difference.
Sugar cookies generally include way more ingredients than shortbread recipes. First and foremost, sugar cookies contain eggs, which make them soft and fluffy. While real shortbread recipes never involve eggs. The lack of said ingredient gives shortbread cookies a dense crisp texture. Shortbread is meant to crack, snap, or even crumble when you try to bend it. Yet sugar cookies should be moist enough to bend a little before breaking. Actual sugar cookies do not make the best cut-out cookies because of their soft texture. You can still frost them, but they do not hold a tight shape when rolled and cut. However, shortbread cookies are fantastic for rolling and cutting, making a marvelous decorating cookie.
That said, with today’s Caramel Cookies Recipe, we are making cut-out sandwich cookies.
What Is The Difference Between Butter Cookies And Shortbread Cookies?
Ok, now this is where it gets a little tricky… Butter cookies and shortbread can be the same thing, but are not always the same. Origins: Shortbread biscuits originated in Scotland, while butter cookies are decidedly Danish. Both are crisp crumbly cookies made from a simple blend of fat, sugar, and flour. However, the most traditional shortbread recipes use either shortening or a combination of shortening and butter. Butter cookies are always made with butter only. Yet, modern shortbread recipes are often made with just butter, like butter cookies. This creates the luxurious buttery flavor that all butter cookies, and most shortbread offer. Shortbread sometimes contains more flour than butter cookies, making them slightly more dense… But not always.
Caramel Shortbread Ingredients
These luxurious caramel-stuffed shortbread cookies require only six ingredients, including the filling!
Butter – To provide a rich flavor and crunchy texture. Sugar – For sweetness and texture. Flour – Because there’s no better base ingredient for traditional cookies. Vanilla Extract – This adds a little underlying intrigue. Salt – Because salt and caramel are like peas and carrots. Dulce de Leche – Thick canned caramel that is fabulous for cookie filling.
How To Make Caramel Shortbread
More Amazing Christmas Cookies
The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe Ever Brown Butter Brown Sugar Cookies Chewy Molasses Cookies Snickerdoodle Sandwich Cookies 3D Christmas Tree Cut-Out Cookies Chocolate Dipped Lace Cookies Mexican Mocha Crinkle Cookies Cherry Ginger Thumbprints White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies Lemon Crinkle Cookies Ultimate Brownie Mix Cookies Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies Italian Wedding Cookies Soft Key Lime Cookies with Glaze Orange Cookies (Sugar Cookies with Orange) See all out Christmas Recipes to plan your menu this season!
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