If you’ve discovered the magic of candy cap mushrooms, the next logical thing is to decide how to use them. Candy cap cookies are the obvious first choice!
I love shortbread cookies, and I’ve made many, many variations on them over the years, but this is definitely the most fun shortbread flavor. I love surprising people by telling them there’s mushrooms in these cookies – and they also taste delicious!
What makes these cookies special
Most people probably aren’t able to say that they’ve eaten candy cap cookies. Or that they’ve even considered eating mushroom-flavored cookies. But we can change that!
And we should, because candy cap mushrooms taste delicious. Their flavor is very similar to maple syrup, but with a bit more earthiness. I love pairing it with complementary but gentle flavors so that their flavor can shine.
That’s why I kept these cookies super simple. They’re just pure, buttery shortbread cookies infused and sprinkled with candy cap sugar.
You only need seven ingredients, and you only need one bowl. You could even mix the dough by hand (you really don’t need an electric mixer for this).
Plan ahead!
You’ll need to make candy cap sugar before you can make this recipe. Allow the mushrooms about a week to sit in the sugar so the sugar becomes completely drenched in their scent and flavor.
Tips for making candy cap cookies
In order to make perfect, melt-in-your-mouth, tender shortbread cookies, there’s a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, we want to minimize gluten development. If we work the dough too much, it will get tough. If we add too much flour, it will get tough.
That’s why I always add a little bit of non-gluten flour to my shortbread recipes. Sometimes I use cornstarch, sometimes I choose brown rice flour. Either works, so whatever you have on hand is great!
Mix the flour in with a light hand, and stop mixing once it’s almost completely combined, but not much more. Also, be sure not to dust your work surface with flour when you roll out the dough!
Lastly, chill your cookies thoroughly once you have them shaped. If you put them straight into the oven after cutting them, the butter will already be warmed up and their edges will bake up soft and saggy. The cookies should be nice and cold going into the oven.
Variations
I enjoy cutting the candy cap dough into little round cookies using a biscuit cutter. However, you could make them any shape and size you please! Here’s some other good options:
- Smooth all the dough out into an 8-inch pan to save time and effort like I do for my Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
- Cut them into squares like these Chamomile Shortbread Cookies
- Use a sharp knife, pizza wheel, or fluted pastry cutter to cut them into any size!
Other candy cap recipes
Use your candy caps for other strangely delicious mushroom dessert recipes! Here’s a few I love:
Candy Cap Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 ounces unsalted butter, very soft
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup candy cap sugar
- Additional candy cap sugar, for topping the cookies
Instructions
- Cream butter with electric beaters until soft and light, 1-2 minutes.
- Add maple syrup, salt, and vanilla. Blend well.
- Sift in flour and cornstarch. Add candy cap sugar. Beat ingredients on low just until the dough starts to come together.
- Turn dough out onto a flat work surface covered with parchment. Roll dough in between 2 pieces of parchment paper (don't add flour, it will make the cookies tough!) until fairly thin, about 1/4 inch.
- Chill dough for at least 20 minutes to firm up, then cut dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters, a sharp knife, or a biscuit cutter.
- Chill again for at least 20 minutes before baking. While cookies are chilling, preheat oven to 325° F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Bake cookies until firm but not yet browning, about 12-15 minutes. Time may vary depending on the size of your cookies.
- Allow to cool slightly, then sprinkle liberally with additional candy cap sugar.
Did you try this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment below!
