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Pumpkin Spice Shortbread

A technical study in starch-shortened pastry and extreme lipid saturation. By utilizing a high cornstarch-to-flour ratio and a significant volume of unsalted butter, these cookies achieve a delicate, friable crumb that dissolves instantly, accented by a warm autumnal spice architecture.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 48 cookies
Course: Dessert

Ingredients
  

The Starch-Shortened Base
  • 4 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 pounds unsalted butter at room temperature (12 sticks)
  • 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
The Decorative Finish
  • Sanding sugar Apple Pie Spiced or similar
  • Festive sprinkles

Method
 

The Emulsion and Dough Construction
  1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line several heavy baking sheets with professional parchment paper.
  2. In a large vessel, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cloves to ensure a uniform distribution of the spice architecture.
  3. Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and confectioners' sugar together until the mixture is light, aerated, and smooth.
  4. Gradually integrate the dry ingredients into the butter emulsion on low speed until a soft, cohesive dough forms.
The Geometric Shaping
  1. Using a 2-inch mechanical scoop, portion the dough into spherical balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 3 inches apart to allow for thermal expansion.
  2. Use the tines of a silver fork to gently flatten each ball into a uniform circle, creating a ridged texture on the surface.
  3. Apply a generous coating of spiced sanding sugar and decorative sprinkles to each cookie before baking.
The Thermal Cycle
  1. Bake until the cookies are firm to the touch and the bottom edges just begin to show a faint golden hue, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
  2. Allow the cookies to stabilize on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a stainless steel wire rack to cool completely.