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Written ByDorothy Kern
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This buttery delicious Shortbread Cookie Recipe is an easy cookie with only five ingredients! These melt in your mouth cookies are perfect any time of year, but especially during the holidays. These are such a classic and you are going to want to make a batch for all your cookie platters!
Homemade Shortbread Cookie Recipe
Shortbread, or what I like to call little bites of butter heaven, are delicious cookies with a crumbly texture and rich butter flavor. They’re really simple cookies, and the magic is in how you work the dough and butter.
When you’re making shortbread cookie dough, you don’t work it a lot, so the gluten is not developed. This results in a cookie that just melts in your mouth when you take a bite. The crumbly texture is why it’s called shortbread – 3 parts butter to 2 part sugar creates a crumbly texture, which is also called “short.” Hence the name!
I promise, these are better than Lorna Done cookies, Ina Garten’s recipe and Walkers shortbread cookies combined! They’re sure to become one of your favorite Christmas cookies!
5 Ingredient Shortbread Recipe
- Unsalted butter: The shortbread ratio is all about the room temperature softened unsalted butter to the other ingredients.
- Powdered Sugar: I like to use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar because it gives the cookies a great texture.
- Vanilla: Just a teaspoon of vanilla extract hint gives nice flavor.
- Salt: Because every cookie needs a little to enhance the flavors!
- All purpose flour: be sure to use the spoon and level method for measuring!
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
How to Make Shortbread Cookies
- Cream the butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or large bowl with a hand mixer.
- Add the vanilla, salt, and mix until smooth. Slowly add the flour, one cup at a time.
- As you add the flour cup by cup, wait until it’s absorbed into the dough before adding the next cup. The cookie dough comes together easily with a mixer.
- How to Roll Out Short bread Dough: Divide the dough in half and place each piece between two pieces of wax paper or parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll each piece out until it’s ¼” thick. Cover the cookie sheets with plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least two hours or overnight. Don’t skip this step because it allows the dough to rest, and chilling it will also allow the flavors to develop fully.
- Cut the cookies into rectangles and place on pan.
- Press the cookies with the tines of a fork for decoration and then add to a baking sheet lined with silicone or parchment paper. Be sure to preheat your oven and bake until the cookies are light golden brown around the edges.
Expert Shortbread Cookies Tips
- You can use salted butter, just omit the salt in the recipe.
- If the dough is too sticky before you roll it out, chill it for a quick 20 minutes.
- Don’t skip the long chilling step – it helps the gluten develop to make a nice crunchy cookie.
- Decorate your finished shortbread by dipping in chocolate or frosting with buttercream frosting.
- Cookie Sheets: Place them on prepared baking sheets – make sure your baking sheet is lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Shortbread cookies don’t spread much when they bake, so you can space them one to two inches apart.
- Decoration: If you want to give them some detail, use the tines of a fork to prick the surface of each cookie.
- Cookie Cutters or Slicing: You can cut the dough into a variety of different shapes using cookie cutters or just a knife. You don’t want to overwork the dough, so I prefer to cut them into squares and use a ruler and knife, so they are all the same size. I cut them into squares approximately 1-inch by 2-inches.
Shortbread Cookie Recipe FAQ
Do you cut shortbread before or after baking?
It depends on the recipe! Some recipes have you score the dough first before you bake it and then slice the cookies as soon as they come out of the oven. Others, like the one I’m sharing, have you cut the dough before baking. I think it’s easier to do before you bake the cookies.
Why do you put shortbread in the fridge before baking?
You need to chill the shortbread dough so the butter can firm up before you bake the cookies. If you skip chilling the dough, the cookies will spread too much when they bake. Chilling also helps develop the flavors, so the cookies taste amazing.
How do you know when shortbread is cooked?
The easiest way to tell when the shortbread cookies are done is to check the edges. They should be lightly golden around the edges.
Can you freeze shortbread cookies?
Shortbread freezes great! Allow the cookies to cool and then store them in a freezer-safe container. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Shortbread Cookies Recipe
5 from 57 votes
Classic Shortbread Cookies are an easy cookie recipe that is super buttery! You can make these into any shape and they are the perfect shortbread cookie for all year but especially for Christmas.
Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes minutes
Chill Time 2 hours hours
Yield 48 cookies
Serving Size 1 serving
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter softened (3 sticks)
- 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (372g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
In a large bowl with a hand or a stand mixer, cream butter and powdered sugar until smooth.
Add vanilla and salt, then mix until smooth.
Add flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing between each addition until completely mixed.
If dough is too sticky to roll at this point, chill for 20 minutes.
Otherwise, divide dough in half. Roll each half out to 1/4-inch thick between two pieces of wax paper or parchment paper.
Chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Chilling the dough lets it rest and adds to the overall flavor of the shortbread.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
You can cut your shortbread as desired, using cookie cutters for shapes or circles, but I use a ruler and a pizza cutter to cut squares that are approximately 1-inch by 2-inches. Prick each with the tines of a fork for decoration.
These don’t spread, so you don’t need to space them more than an inch or two on the cookie sheets. Bake for about 14-18 minutes (depending on size of cookie and thickness) until they start to get golden around the edges.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
How do you know when shortbread is cooked?
The easiest way to tell when the shortbread cookies are done is to check the edges. They should be lightly golden around the edges.
Can you use salted butter in the recipe?
Yes, just omit the added salt in the recipe.
Can you freeze shortbread cookies?
Shortbread freezes great! Allow the cookies to cool and then store them in a freezer-safe container. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern
Did you try this recipe? Click the stars to rate the recipe below
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Classic Shortbread Cookies are an easy cookie recipe that is super buttery! You can make these into any shape and they are the perfect shortbread cookie for all year but especially for Christmas.
Last Updated on December 8, 2023
Dorothy Kern
Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.
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11 Comments
Has anyone tried adding chopped nuts and or dried fruit into these?
ReplyCan you just make a roll of it verses cutting into a shape and chill about a few hours or over night and just slice them like a roll cookie? (pinwheel) ?
ReplyYes this dough is very versatile!
ReplyAfter making these and before baking, could I use one of those cookie stamps to create a special design on each cookie? Or, will it bake out and not be seen?
ReplyI haven’t tried a stamp but the fork pricks showed, so I think it’ll work just fine.
ReplyThis recipe looks like a winner! I usually make small batch recipes, so can I cut the recipe in half?
ReplyYes you definitely can cut it in half or thirds.
ReplyCan I use an embossed rolling pin or cookie stamp with this dough?
ReplyYes, I don’t see why not. Enjoy!
ReplySo delicious and easy! My first try at shortbread cookies. My husband is eating cookies for supper tonight! Thanks!
ReplyDorothy, you are awesome! These are fantastic cookies! Made them tonight to share with neighbors and they went in 5 minutes! Another batch made for my husband so his glum face smiled.
Thank you for this recipe!ReplyFeatured In
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