Use white miso and a level tablespoon; stronger dark miso can dominate the delicate maple flavor.
A restrained spoonful of white miso deepens maple sweetness in a slice-and-bake checkerboard with alternating plain and maple dough.
The recipe card lists measured ingredients, numbered steps, storage guidance, and a nutrition estimate when available. Total time includes the listed preparation, rest, baking, and cooling periods for this recipe.
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Maple Miso Shortbread Checkerboard Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- mixer
- bench scraper
- ruler
- parchment
- knife
- baking sheets
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Prepare the ingredients: Beat butter, sugar, maple syrup and white miso until smooth.
Make the dough or filling
- Make the dough or filling: Mix in flour and salt.
Shape the cookies
- Shape the cookies: Divide dough in half; knead cocoa into one half.
Shape the cookies
- Shape the cookies: Shape each into equal 1-inch square logs, halve lengthwise and stack alternating colors to form two checkerboard logs.
Chill the dough
- Chill the dough: Wrap and chill 2 hours.
Bake and set
- Bake and set: Slice 24 cookies and bake at 325°F (165°C) for 15–18 minutes until set.
Cool and finish
- Cool and finish: Cool on the sheet.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Make the square dough logs equal in size before stacking for crisp checkerboard lines.
Technique & texture
Chill until very firm and use a sharp knife for clean slices.
Finishing & serving
Keep the cocoa portion modest so the two doughs bake at the same rate.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | up to 6 days | Airtight at room temperature up to 6 days. |
| Refrigeration | As described | No refrigeration needed after baking. |
| Raw freezing | up to 1 month | Freeze the wrapped log up to 1 month. slice while cold and bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes. |
| Baked freezing | up to 2 months | Freeze baked checkerboards up to 2 months. |
| Restoring | As described | Thaw uncovered at room temperature. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 24 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the cookies taste salty?
The measured white miso is a small seasoning; use unsalted butter and do not add extra salt.
Can I omit the cocoa?
Yes, but use a small amount of matcha or leave both doughs plain for a single-color cookie.
Why is the pattern smudged?
The dough warmed during assembly; rechill the log before slicing.
Browse more cookie ideas in the Christmas Shortbread Cookies collection.
