Shortbread has to be one of my favourite cookies for the holidays and you can be sure that there will be several different kinds on my holiday cookie platter! Not only is it melt in your mouth buttery delicious but it is also super easy to make! One of my favourite things about shortbread is that it’s so easy to add flavours to it and I always have fun dreaming up new flavour combinations. This year I had a new idea for shortbread and it was to add one of my all time favourite foods, bacon! When I was a kid I accidentally discovered that adding maple syrup to the pan when cooking bacon made for a dreamy combination of sweet and savoury and I could not resist using that combo in the bacon shortbread. The recipe for this shortbread is a pretty basic shortbread recipe with the addition of the bacon and swapping out the sugar for maple syrup and of course I needed to add a bit more flour to compensate for the liquid in the syrup. I think that I have found a new favourite shortbread! This maple bacon shortbread is a fabulous combination of sweet and savoury and they simply melt away in your mouth!
Next I am thinking that a chocolate dipped bacon shortbread is in order!
Bacon Maple Shortbread
The sublime sweet and salty combo of maple syrup and bacon come together to make some of the tastiest shortbread that you have ever had!
ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
directions
- Cook the bacon and set aside on paper towels to drain.
- Beat the butter and maple syrup until smooth, mix in the flour, cornstarch and salt and then the bacon.
- Shape the dough as desired and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until just lightly golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
Option: Replace the maple syrup and 1/4 cup flour with 1/4 cup regular sugar and then dip the shortbread in dark chocolate!
Note: Store in the fridge for up to a week.
Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies
Shortbread
Gorgonzola and Pistachio Shortbread
Stilton and Rosemary Shortbread
Maple Pecan Shortbread
Orange Cookies Dipped in Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Shortbread with Fleur de Sel
Chocolate and Maraschino Cherry Shortbread Cookies
Maple Bourbon Bacon and Pecan Butter Tarts
Bacon Gingersnap Cookies
Peppermint Triple Chocolate Shortbread
Chocolate Cherry Balsamic Goat Cheese Shortbread
Chocolate Orange Rosemary Shortbread
Whipped Shortbread
I don't even like to bake, but I might have to make an exception for these!
Oh wow, a cookie combination I need to try! Pinned!
the bacon chunks in that extra thick shortbread are out of this world!!
Maple and bacon in a buttery cookie? I can't even handle all the deliciousness!
Oh my word, Kevin! Maple bacon shortbread?>! I'm in love.
My Monday needs these!!
WOW!
Does it have to be 'pure' maple syrup (which is very expensive), or jwill regular maple flavored pancake syrup do?
It sounds awesome, by the way! 🙂
Kevin,
These look amazing! It's really hard to find good bacon or shortbread in Thailand. How I'm missing home during this time of year!
Samuel Jeffery: I so need to visit Thailand for the food! Even if there is no good shortbread. 🙂
Renna: I recommend pure but if it is too expensive then you could use the other syrup, it just won't taste quite the same.
Thanks for your response!
I see salt and cornstarch listed in the ingredients but then I don't see where they are added.?
Read the instructions again sweetie
Anonymous: They are both added with the flour. Enjoy!
I noticed that other shortbread recipes don't call for cornstarch. Is that ingredient necessary due to the added moisture of the bacon and syrup? Thanks- can't wait to make these!
Denise: The cornstarch helps make shortbread more delicate and 'melt in your mouth' but you can easily replace it with an equal amount of flour or even rice flour.
Of course I LOVE the bacon in these 🙂
Oh my!! These look incredible, but I gotta say that chocolate dipped is a must!!
Over the top amazing! I really want two or three right now!
How can anyone ever resist? it is perfect match!
These look so tempting! Have to try! Pinned!
Tenancy cleaning
Oh my!! These look incredible, but I gotta say that chocolate dipped is a must!!
This is SUCH a great idea!
These sound amazing…I'll have to try. Chocolate dipped is a must try but might I suggest that you use chocolate dipped bacon-pieces instead of/in addition to dipping the cookie itself. Mmmm mmmm bacon
Cheesesteak: Chocolate dipped bacon would be great!
Making these tomorrow! What kind of flour? All purpose, or would cake flour work better?
fatuesday: All-purpose flour. Enjoy!
Thank you! They came out great! I sprinkled with a little demerara and kosher salt before baking.
took a bit to get the butter and maple syrup to agree to cream together, but after that, it was quite easy & successful.
Can not wait to make these, totally hooked on savory shortbread and this looks excellent! These kinds of shortbread with a bottle of wine are my new go-to gift for my friends who bake and already have a million cookies. Thanks for sharing this Kevin!
Hello – – looking forward to making this recipe, but have a quick question: no need to chill the dough, as in your cheese and rosemary shortbread recipe? Thank you
Anonymous: No, you do not need to chill the dough for these. Enjoy!
Store in the fridge for up to a week? Like they might last longer than 5 minutes out of the oven….. Don't think so!
Anonymous: I agree! Mine disappeared long before that!
Kevin Lynch: I agree with you about that – game bigone 134
Do you recommend salted or unsalted the butter for this??
Kels: I usually use unsalted but salted also works.
When you shape them, do you shape dough into individual small biscuit like pieces, or more of a log, then cut into size after it's cooked? Thanks!! Making them right now, haha.
Angela C: To get the circles I roll the dough into a log and then slice. Enjoy!
Perfect! Thank you so much for the quick response! Can't wait to try them!
I just made these, thank you so much for sharing this recipe! They are super delicious and quite easy, I usually end up messing up shortbread but this was fool proof. I rolled them out and used a circle cookie cutter to make circles, next time I'll do a log so I can get them thick. Thanks again!!
Hi there! I wanted to ket you know that I added this recipe to a round-up on my blog. Stop by and check it out! http://sweetsugarblossoms.blogspot.com/2015/01/33-bacon-recipes.html
Savory, for sure. However, dipped in dark chocolate (with a little maple) is ridiculous.
I made them and could not really taste the maple. I used quality maple syrup. Any tips?
I made these and could not taste the maple. I used quality Syrup.
Thank you! They came out great! I sprinkled with a little demerara and kosher salt before baking.
I think I need to try these again, and do the roll and cut. I put mine in a cake pan, and pressed it down. I think it was too thin this way, because it came out very crumbly. I might also reduce the cornstarch just a tiny bit. Otherwise, these are delicious. Great recipe.
We made the cookies yesterday for our wine! They are amazing! So tasty!!!!! Thank you for this recipe!
For me they were too dry & I could not taste the maple (I used pure maple syrup). Also, I didn’t think they were sweet enough. Next time I will use maple sugar. I think I am going to make a maple glaze to put on top to salvage them.
I can hardly wait to make these. Bacon and shortbread – two of my favorite things to eat!
QUESTION: What kind of flour? Self Rising or All Purpose?
Use all-purpose flour! Enjoy!
What are your thoughts on using a bag of bacon bits from Costco?
I have not tried them…
These were easy to make. The flavor though is bland. Taste like flour-y bacon. Will not make them again but thanks for the recipe.
Divine looking! I am going to try these gluten free since that’s my only option for eating. I suspect they won’t be as perfect looking as yours, but presentation is way less important than taste! Thank you for a clever and delicious recipe!