Vanilla Bean and Carmel Sea Salt Shortbread Cookies

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Buttery shortbread cookies infused with vanilla bean and sprinkled with a hint of sea salt, evoking the sweet simplicity of Carmel cottage treats. This French recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, layers unsalted butter, softened, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 110 calories and feeds 24, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Add this recipe to your weekly plan" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Serves 24 French cuisine 110 cal/serving
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Ingredients

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Instructions

  1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream together 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Beat in 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste until evenly combined.
  3. Step 3: Gradually add 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough just comes together.
  4. Step 4: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
  5. Step 5: Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with 1/4 tsp coarse sea salt.
  6. Step 6: Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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