Apricot Shortbread Cookies

My husband has one of those metabolisms that runs at lightspeed. That, along with our owning a horse farm and the associated farmer activities, allows him to eat pretty much any amount of anything he pleases without gaining a pound.

Lately, he’s been eating his way down the local grocery store’s cookie aisle.  Finally, I decided enough was enough, and that I could make him cookies for cheaper than he could buy them.  We held hands as we walked throughout the grocery store for inspiration for the cookie recipe he desired.

His feet stopped moving in front of the dried fruit. When he chose the organic, dried, preservative free apricots as the add-in for his cookies, I realized that we would NOT be saving money in this adventure.  But we’d be gaining fewer oddball shelf-life preserving ingredients.  So we snagged the container of dried apricots and headed home with a pound of butter to make the cookies.

I adapted a roll-and-cut recipe to make slice and bake cookies so that my husband could bake off cookies at a moment’s notice.  He adored this recipe and hasn’t been seen in the cookie aisle at the grocery store since.

How to Make Apricot Shortbread Cookies

1. Preheat the Oven:

• Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) and place the oven rack in the center position.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Mix the Ingredients:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature butter, sifted confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until blended, but avoid over-creaming the butter.
• Gradually add the sifted flour and salt, mixing until combined.
• Stir in the finely chopped dried apricots until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

3. Shape the Dough:

• Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape it into a log about 2 inches in diameter.
• Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, allowing it to firm up.

4. Slice the Cookies:

• Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap the dough and slice it into ¼-inch thick rounds.
• Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

5. Bake:

• Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden brown.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Recipe Notes:

• Chill the Dough: Make sure to chill the dough for at least an hour to help it firm up. This step ensures the cookies hold their shape during baking.
• Optional Garnish: For an extra touch, drizzle the baked cookies with melted white chocolate or dust with more confectioners’ sugar.
• Apricot Alternative: If you don’t have dried apricots, dried cherries or cranberries also work well and add a lovely tartness.
• Storage: These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week or frozen for up to 3 months.

Apricot Shortbread Cookies

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4.9 from 14 reviews

• Author: Brady Evans
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: Makes 24 1x
• Diet: Omnivore

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Description

Tender, crumbly shortbread cookies studded with sweet apricots. Perfect with afternoon tea or a glass of milk.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cups (237 ml) unsalted butter
• 0.75 cups (180 ml) sifted confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups (475 ml) sifted all-purpose flour
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 cups (120 ml) finely chopped dried apricots

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C) and place the oven rack in the center position. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature butter, sifted confectioners sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until blended, but avoid over-creaming the butter. Gradually add the sifted flour and salt, mixing until combined. Stir in the finely chopped dried apricots until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
3. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Shape it into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, allowing it to firm up.
4. Once chilled, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap the dough and slice it into ¼-inch thick rounds. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Notes

• For a richer flavor, use brown butter instead of regular unsalted butter.
• If you don’t have confectioners’ sugar, you can pulse granulated sugar in a food processor until fine.
• Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Chilling Time: 60 min
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Baking
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 100
• Sugar: 10
• Sodium: 20
• Fat: 6
• Saturated Fat: 4
• Unsaturated Fat: 2
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 1
• Cholesterol: 10

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