Whether you want a super simple sweet treat or you’re making desserts around Christmas time, these tasty Shortbread Cookies will always hit the spot. I’ve taken this classic recipe and made it even better. Enjoy with chocolate, jam or on their own, either way, you absolutely should make these Shortbread Cookies this Holiday Season.
All of these cookies are perfect for the holidays, but what sets this cookie recipe apart from the others is its simplicity. This shortbread cookie recipe is a classic one that you can customize (see notes below) or leave plain. Sometimes, simple is best!
Shortbread Cookies Recipe
You’ll first need to gather these 4 ingredients to make the cookies. You probably don’t even need to go to the store to get them either!
- Butter – softened! This is where that delicious buttery taste comes from.
- Powdered Sugar – instead of using granulated sugar, I’m using powdered sugar. This sweetens the cookie and gives it a smoother consistency.
- Vanilla – to flavor the cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour – this gives the cookie the rest of its structure.
How to Make Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies are some of the easiest cookies you can make! Just make sure you are using soft, room temperature butter and you are measuring your flour correctly! The finished shortbread dough will be crumbly, but when you start to form it together with your hands, it should come together just fine. (The heat of your hands will help with this!)
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour. Mix slowly until a crumbly dough forms. I do not recommend mixing by hand.
- Form dough into a ball and roll in between parchment paper to 1/3-1/2-inch thick. Cut into small 3-inch circles (or any shape desired**) and place onto prepared baking sheets. Alternately, you can roll into balls and press out with a flat bottomed glass.
- Bake 12-15 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are barely golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on hot baking trays before transferring to cooling racks.
- Store in airtight containers for up to 5 days.
Troubleshooting your Shortbread
I never knew there could be so much trouble with shortbread until I posted this recipe online! Ha! Here are my best tips and tricks to helping you get perfect shortbread cookies every time!
My Shortbread Dough is Too Crumbly!
Have you tried working the dough together with your hands? The heat of your hands should help it come together. Also, did you use room temperature butter? That will help the dough come together. If you’re trying to roll it out, the edges will be a little crumbly! Just press the extra dough back into place. When in doubt, roll into balls and press with the palm of your hand or a fork. Works like a charm!
Also, how did you measure your flour? This can vary from kitchen to kitchen! Did you fluff the flour first? Flour that sits in a canister or bag over time settles and you have to aerate it before spooning it into your measuring cup, leveling the top and adding to your recipe.
My Cookies Spread Too Much!
Again, I think this comes down to measuring the flour. Cookies spread because there isn’t enough flour in the dough. Shortbread cookies hold their shape so well because there is a lot of flour! So, they shouldn’t be spreading too much in the oven. The good news is if your cookies are spreading, add a little more flour into your dough and that will correct the problem.
Customize
So now that you know how to make this base shortbread cookie you can now customize your next batch however you like. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Extract. Instead of using vanilla extract try using almond, lemon or even lavender extract if you’re into floral flavors.
Chocolate. Add in mini chocolate chips to the dough, dip in melted chocolate or try making sandwich cookies using Nutella as the filling.
Jam. Jams are always a good idea for these shortbread cookies. Try making a jam dipping bar for these cookies.
Nuts. Chop and mix in nuts for a crunchy texture.
Sprinkles. This add-in always goes over well with my kids. Make it festive and roll in Christmas sprinkles to the top of the dough before cutting and baking. Or, after baking and cooling, spread frosting on them and dip in sprinkles.
