Maple Bacon Shortbread Cookies
On December 14, 2021 (Updated April 15, 2022)
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Maple bacon shortbread cookies are a shortbread lover’s dream come true. These crunchy, buttery cookies melt away in your mouth and are loaded with crumbled bacon and dipped in a homemade maple glaze for the ultimate BBQ-inspired cookie.
Homemade Shortbread Cookies
These shortbread cookies aren’t your grandmother’s shortbread cookies. They’re loaded with bits of crumbled bacon and dipped in a homemade maple glaze. They’re just sweet enough and just savory enough to keep you coming back bite after bite.
I love me some sweets, but I tend to sway more toward savory recipes here on my site. Oftentimes while cooking on the grill, I get hit with a major craving for something sweet. The maple and bacon shortbread cookies are the best of both worlds, combining BBQ with a melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
Bacon Shortbread Cookies
Bacon seems like the answer to pretty much all of life’s problems, so sprinkling these cookies in bacon crumbles is the perfect way to create cookies that satisfy both your sweet tooth and your meat tooth.
Oh, and another great thing about using bacon in these cookies? Using the bacon grease in the cookie itself!
The secret to my perfectly decadent maple bacon shortbread cookies is mixing the leftover bacon grease into the cookie dough. No lie. After you crisp the bacon, whisk the remaining bacon fat into the butter, flour, and sugar. It makes the dough sweet and savory with an addictive flavor. This cookie dough will have you licking the mixing bowl clean. I guarantee it!
How to Make Maple Bacon Shortbread Cookies
Here’s how to make these amazing maple bacon shortbread cookies.
- Cookie dough. Make the shortbread cookie dough in a stand mixer. Spread the dough on a sheet of parchment paper and roll the dough into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Bake. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the dough from the fridge, and use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into individual rectangular cookies. Bake the cookies for 20-22 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool completely.
- Maple glaze. Make the maple glaze in a saucepan on the stovetop. Dip each cookie halfway in the glaze.
- Add bacon! Sprinkle each cookie with extra bacon crumbles, allow to cool before enjoying!
There you have it! Bacon shortbread cookies that combine the oh-so addiction combo of sweet, salty, and savory. Best of luck only eating one. It’s quite the challenge!
More BBQ Dessert Recipes
BBQing doesn’t have to stop at meat and veggies! Branch out from your regular grilling and smoking recipes to try your hand at these amazingly delicious BBQ desserts from Hey Grill Hey.
- Cayenne Caramels with a Pretzel Bacon Crust
- Skillet Bacon Apple Crisp
- New York Style Smoked Cheesecake
Maple Bacon Shortbread Cookie Recipe
These cookies are great for all occasions. Personally, I find they make an amazing addition to any holiday gift exchange or cookie table. If you decide to try it out, be sure to post a picture on my Facebook wall or tag me on Instagram! I love to see these recipes put to good use!
We originally published this post in December 2017. It’s been recently updated with more information and helpful tips, but the recipe remains the same.
Maple Bacon Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Dough
- 6 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled, with bacon fat reserved and set aside
- 6 Tablespoons salted butter softened
- 2 Tablespoons reserved bacon fat
- ¼ cup maple syrup the real stuff, not "maple flavored"
- 3 Tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons corn starch
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour sifted
Maple Glaze
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Make the dough. In a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, 2 Tablespoons of bacon grease, maple syrup, and sugar at medium speed until creamy.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Slowly pour the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture and whisk at a low speed until just combined.
- Add bacon. Use a spatula to fold in most of the bacon crumbles, setting aside 2 Tablespoons of the bacon crumbles for later use.
- Form the dough and chill. Spread the shortbread dough out on a sheet of parchment, cover with another sheet of parchment and roll out into a rectangle approximately 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Bake. When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the dough from the fridge, and cut it into individual rectangles, approximately 1 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches. Place a sheet of parchment on a sheet pan and then place the cookies on the prepared pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are golden brown.
- Cool. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on the sheet pan.
- Make the maple glaze. When your cookies are cool, prepare the glaze. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar, maple syrup, and heavy cream. Bring just to a boil and then turn off the heat. Whisk in the sifted powdered sugar until thick and smooth.
- Dip, set, and enjoy. Dip each cookie halfway into the warm glaze. Set back on the parchment paper and sprinkle the glazed side of the cookie with some of the reserved bacon crumbles. Repeat for all of the cookies. Allow the glaze to cool completely before handling. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m dying to try these. Could someone tell me what dimensions I should roll this dough to? I’m not very good with math.
These are AMAZING. we made them last year and devoured them ourselves. This year we have made a double batch and are including (some of) them in our gift cookie trays. Great shortbread texture. easy to make too !
Could you use all bacon grease and no butter? What would the texture difference be? Thank you!
Made these for my family – made some without bacon for my sister who is vegetarian – and we loved them!
Just made these and we love them! They present beautifully and taste amazing! I rolled the dough into a log before refrigerating and sliced before baking.
Can the dough be frozen or refrigerated for a week?
Yes!
This is so good! Just made a batch today to try it and my bacon-loving hibs gave it a thumbs up!!! Will surely make again!!!
Just made these and wish I could upload a photo, they turned out so pretty and delicious! Thanks so much
These were a huge hit at Thanksgiving. Fairly easy to make too.
My bacon loving boys would go crazy for these. Such a fun twist on regular shortbread cookies!