Name: Shortbread Cookies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 24 medium cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup butter (softened); 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Theseeasy homemade shortbread cookiesare crunchy, crumbly, and sweet. I love making this cookie recipe around the holidays or on chilly winter days when I want my home to feel extra cozy. They’re perfect for gift-giving or for enjoying withyour favorite warm beverage!

A white plate with heart shaped shortbread cookies on top of a red and white striped towel.

Shortbread cookies have my heart.They’re super simple and have only a few ingredients, and you can make them forspecial occasions, holidays, or just a normal day when you need something sweet to munch on! They’re no frills, which I love because it meansthey’re tough to mess up.

This recipe makes a subtlysweet, buttery, and crunchy cookiethat the whole family will love to snack on. They’re super fun to bake alongside a variety of othercookies for a holiday cookie trayor end-of-year plate of goodies for teachers!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Shortbread cookies are great for enjoying plain or mixing it up with various additions such aschocolate chips, nuts,or citrus zest. Their simplicity allows for creativity to flow.
Shortbread has a long history, particularly inScottish and British culture, where it is often associated withholidays and celebrations.
These cookies have a rich, buttery flavor that’s comforting and satisfies our taste buds, making themperfect for a nice treat.

Recipe Ingredients

All-purpose flour
Butter —Irish butter is perfect for this recipe!
Powdered sugar
Granulated sugar

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.

A glass jug of milk with two white straws polka dotted with silver, next to a stack of heart shaped shortbread cookies.

How to Make Shortbread Cookies

shortbread cookie dough dry ingredients in a mixing bowl

Step 1:Beat the butter and the powdered sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

crumbles of shortbread cookie dough before being balled and rolled

Step 2:Add the flour and salt, and mix together on low until combined.

a ball rolled out on a floured table of shortbread cookie dough

Step 3:Pour out crumbly dough and knead on a lightly floured surface until the dough is very smooth.

shortbread cookie dough between parchment.

Step 4:Roll the dough between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/2-inch thick.

hearts cut out of shortbread cookie dough.

Step 5:Cut into shapes, and place the cut cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

heart and start shaped shortbread cookies with fork punctures on a sheet pan top view not yet baked (top view).

Step 6:Score the cookies with a fork to prevent any bubbles and bake.

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between a sugar cookie and a shortbread cookie?

Sugar cookies are usually much sweeter than shortbread cookies and have far more ingredients. Sugar cookies are also commonly decorated with frosting and sprinkles, while I prefer to keep shortbread cookies plain.

Why are my shortbread cookies hard?

Sometimes using granulated sugar in shortbread cookie recipes makes for a hard cookie if it doesn’t dissolve all the way while baking. That’s why I use powdered sugar, to ensure it dissolves as they bake and creates a soft crunchy consistency.

How long do homemade shortbread cookies last?

Shortbread cookies will last for up to a week in an airtight container stored at room temperature, and frozen they’ll last for about 3 months.

How do I keep shortbread cookies from spreading?

This is so important! After you’ve cut out the cookie shapes and placed them on a baking sheet, do not skip chilling them in the fridge for 20 minutes. This keeps the dough nice and firm as it bakes, allowing it to hold its shape.

A close up of shortbread heart shaped cookies on a decorative white plate, on top of a red and white striped dish towel.

Expert Tips

Since butter is a primary ingredient and contributes significantly to the flavor and texture of shortbread cookies,use high-quality unsalted butterfor the best results.European-style butter with a higher butterfat content works particularly well.
After forming the dough into a disk or log, chill it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes (or longer) before baking.Chilling helps the dough firm up, which makes it easier to slice and helps the cookies maintain their shape during baking.
Before baking,prick the surface of the cookies with a fork.This helps steam escape during baking and prevents the cookies from puffing up too much.
Feel free to have fun with the shapes, but do pay attention to the baking time.If you have various shapes, make sure to bake the same-sized ones on the same cookie sheet so they turn out right.Happy baking!