browned butter shortbread

Some of you may remember my shortbread experiments of the past.  Recently I saw this recipe and figured I'd give it a whirl.  I do need to note that the recipe as I found it told me microwave the butter.  At the risk of making fun of my source, I need to point out that microwaving butter doesn't get you browned butter anything.  Browning butter is a process.  Not a particularly complex one, but a process nonetheless.

With that stated, I give you:

Browned Butter Shortbread
10 tbsp butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 9-inch baking pan.  Brown the butter (see link above).  Combine dry ingredients, add the rest.  Now, I have personally never had a shortbread dough turn in to anything but a giant pile of crumbs, but maybe I'm doing it wrong--if your mixture actually forms dough, more power to you.  If not, don't panic.  Just press it into the pan and bake about 30 minutes.

brown sugar cookies

I made these quite some time ago and completely forgot to post them.  I've seen a few dozen sugar cookie recipes floating about lately--'tis the season, after all--and I figured I'd come back with this alternative.  Recipe via Epicurious.

brown sugar cookies
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375.  Cream butter and sugar, add egg.  Combine dry ingredients separately, then add to butter.  Bake 8 to 12 minutes. Let the cookie sheet cool completely between batches.

The only note here is that they aren't kidding when they call for dark brown sugar.  I used light brown, because that's all I had on hand and I was making these on a whim, and it wasn't particularly inspiring.  However, the potential was there; it was obvious what I was missing.  I'd recommend them for a nice fall/winter cookie.