Pomegranate-Glazed Shortbread Wedges

• servings: 12 items

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray (for pan and spatula)

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

5 cups (550 g; or more) powdered sugar, divided

1 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

2½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided

1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour

Zest of 1 medium orange

¼ cup coarse white sanding sugar or raw sugar

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 Tbsp. pomegranate juice

A 9"-diameter springform pan

Directions

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on base of pan. Place band on top and clamp sides shut so they hold parchment in place. Lightly coat parchment and sides of pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Whisk ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, ½ cup (55 g) powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Add 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour and mix with a rubber spatula until a soft dough forms and no pockets of dry flour remain. Transfer dough to prepared pan; spread into an even layer all the way to the edges with an offset spatula coated with nonstick spray. (It’s okay if dough is not perfectly even. You can fix it after chilling.) Freeze, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Using your hands, press dough down to smooth out any imperfections and make even. Using a long, thin knife, cut dough into 12 wedges (like a pizza), going all the way through the dough. Bake shortbread, rotating pan halfway through, until golden brown, 27–32 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let shortbread cool in pan until no longer too hot to the touch but still warm. Remove sides from pan and cut along lines of wedges with a serrated knife to separate cleanly. Let shortbread cool completely.

Meanwhile, combine zest of 1 medium orange and ¼ cup coarse white sanding sugar or raw sugar in a small bowl and rub together with your fingers until very fragrant and sugar is bright orange, about 2 minutes. Spread out on a plate or a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet; let dry.

Whisk ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, 3 Tbsp. pomegranate juice, and remaining 4½ cups (495 g) powdered sugar, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth. Glaze should be very thick but still slightly pourable (like thick honey). If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar a tablespoonful at a time until the right consistency. (If not using immediately, cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the surface, to keep from drying out.)

Working with 1 wedge at a time, dip top of shortbread into glaze (keeping sides unglazed), holding it above bowl to allow excess to drip back into bowl. Place, glaze side up, on a wire rack and immediately sprinkle generously with orange sugar. (Touch up glaze with an offset spatula before adding sugar if there are any bare spots. You might not use all of the glaze or orange sugar.) Let cookies sit 1 hour for glaze to set up before serving. Do Ahead: Shortbread can be baked 3 days ahead; store airtight at room temperature. Shortbread can be glazed 3 days ahead; store airtight in a single layer at room temperature.