These tender, buttery earl grey shortbread cookies are the best! This "london fog" inspired shortbread is flavored with earl grey tea and vanilla. Easy to make, just a handful of ingredients, and they stay fresh for up to 2 weeks!
Mix: Use an electric mixer to cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in tea and vanilla. Then add flour and cornstarch. Mix just until a crumbly dough forms.
Roll: Gently bring the dough together into a ball using your hands. (It'll be crumbly at first, but it'll come together after gently kneading). Roll the dough on parchment paper, until it's (1x) 8-inch (20 cm) square. (You can use a knife to trim excess dough and fill in any short spots if needed).
Chill and preheat oven: Use the parchment paper to slide the dough onto a baking sheet. Freeze for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
Cut and bake: Cut the chilled dough into 16 squares, about 2-inches (5 cm) each. Poke each cookie 3 times with a fork. Arrange the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until the edges are set and pale golden, about 12 minutes.
Sprinkle and cool: Immediately sprinkle the cookie tops with extra granulated sugar (see note 4). Let cool completely, then lift from the baking sheet and enjoy!
Notes
Butter: If you don't have salted butter, use an equal amount of unsalted butter plus an added ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
Light brown sugar: Brown sugar has slightly more depth of flavor compared to granulated sugar. Use light brown sugar to keep the dough pale. If you don't have light brown sugar, substitute more granulated sugar instead.
Earl grey tea: Use tea leaves that have been ground into a fine powder. Conventional store-bought tea bags usually already contain dusty/powdery tea, so if using, simply cut open the tea bags and measure directly. (Typically, you'll need 2 to 3 tea bags). If using loose leaf tea, you'll need to first grind it into a fine powder using a small spice grinder. Measure the tea after it's been ground.
Technique tip: If you want more pronounced marks/holes in the tops of the cookies after sprinkling with sugar, just use the same fork to re-indent the markings made before baking.
Optional icing: If you have a sweet tooth, this Orange Icing is delicious drizzled over the cooled cookies.
Storage tips: Once fully cooled, the cookies can be transferred to an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. If the shortbread is decorated with icing, they're best enjoyed within 1 week.
Freezing instructions: To freeze the cookies, follow all the steps up until baking the cookies. Freeze the cut, unbaked cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet until firm to the touch, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container (this prevents them from sticking together). Bake from frozen (the cookies may take 1-2 minutes extra in the oven, but watch closely).
Measuring by weight: For the most reliable results, we recommend measuring by weight when baking. Ingredient weights are provided in metric. If you must go by volume (measuring cups), make sure to fluff, spoon, and level the flour to avoid adding too much.