Name: Recipe "Shortbread Cookies"
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 150 min
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter (very cold); 2 cup all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup granulated sugar; 0.25 tsp kosher salt

These pair naturally with what you’re making now: Cinnamon Sugar Tortilla Ice Cream Bowls, Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars, or Dark Chocolate Orange Shortbread.

Why I Love These Buttery Shortbread Cookies

I’ve been baking shortbread cookies for years, and they always remind me of Christmas. I grew up on Walkers Shortbread, but once I made these from scratch, I never looked back. They only need four ingredients you probably already have. This recipe comes from my friend Michelle’s cookbook Weeknight Baking, and it’s the perfect classic shortbread. Nothing fancy, just buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies.

3 Reasons You’ll Love This Shortbread Recipe

Only 4 ingredients, butter, flour, sugar, and salt. You probably have them all right now.
No chill time needed, the dough goes straight from mixing to rolling, so you can have cookies in under an hour.
Perfect for holiday baking, these classic shortbread cookies are a staple on Christmas cookie trays, and they make great gifts.

Key Ingredients for Perfect Shortbread Cookies

Unsalted butter, Freeze the butter pieces before mixing to keep them solid longer, which creates flaky, tender layers. Use good-quality butter for the best flavor.
Granulated sugar, Regular white sugar gives these cookies their classic sweetness and crisp edges. No need for powdered sugar here.
Kosher salt, A pinch of salt balances the richness. If you only have fine table salt, use half the amount.

Must-Have Tools for Making Shortbread Cookies

Stand mixer with paddle attachment, essential for properly creaming the butter into the flour.
Parchment paper, for rolling without sticking and for lining the baking sheet.
Rolling pin, to get an even thickness (about ¼ inch).
Half sheet pan, the standard size that fits most ovens.
Kitchen towel or mixer cover, optional but helpful to prevent dough from flying out during mixing.

Tips for Making the Best Shortbread Cookies

One trick I always use is to cut the butter into 1- to 1 ½-inch pieces and freeze them while I prep the dry ingredients. This keeps the butter cold, which is key for that tender texture. When mixing, beat on low until the flour looks like coarse meal with pea-sized butter bits, that takes about 3 minutes. Then bump up to medium until the dough clumps around the paddle, another 2 to 3 minutes. If dough tries to escape, a mixer cover or kitchen towel helps. For rolling, sandwich the dough between parchment and roll, turning it every so often to prevent cracking.

Expert Tips for Foolproof Shortbread Cookies

Pay attention to the dough’s texture: it should clump around the paddle and hold together when squeezed. If it seems too dry, add a teaspoon of milk. If it’s too sticky, dust with a little more flour. When rolling, go from left to right and rotate the dough 90 degrees occasionally, this keeps the rectangle even and stops the parchment from wrinkling. If the dough cracks at the edges, just press it back together; it’s very forgiving.

This shortbread recipe is so versatile. You can add mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the dough. For a citrusy twist, zest a lemon or orange into the flour mixture. You can also shape the dough into logs, chill, and slice for round cookies. Or press the dough into a pan and cut into bars after baking. For a festive touch, sprinkle coarse sanding sugar on top before baking.

How to Serve Shortbread Cookies

I love serving these shortbread cookies with a cup of hot tea or coffee. They’re also wonderful dipped in melted chocolate for an extra treat. For holiday cookie platters, they pair beautifully with gingerbread and peppermint bark. You can also crumble them over ice cream or use them as a base for a no-bake dessert.

How to Store Shortbread Cookies

Store baked shortbread cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 weeks, but they rarely last that long in my house. Keep them away from heat and humidity to maintain their crispness.

Freezing Shortbread Cookies for Later

You can freeze the dough before baking, shape it into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then roll and bake as directed. Or freeze baked cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag; they keep for 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shortbread Cookies

What’s the difference between sugar cookies and shortbread cookies?

Sugar cookies typically include eggs and leavening, making them softer and fluffier. Shortbread uses a higher proportion of butter and no eggs or leavening, resulting in a dense, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Yes, but reduce or omit the added salt. The recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. If using salted butter, skip the salt altogether to avoid oversalting.

Why do I need to freeze the butter?

Freezing the butter pieces before mixing keeps them solid longer, creating tiny pockets of butter in the dough. This gives shortbread its signature tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a slight flakiness.

Recipe

Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread Cookies with that perfect, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth flavor! These cookies are golden brown with a slight crisp that makes them the ultimate shortbread cookie!

easyVegetarian

15 min

Prep Time

15 min

Cook Time

2 hr 30 min

Total Time

Servings

Dessert

Course

Scottish

Cuisine

246 kcal

Calories

Ingredients

Servings

1 cup unsalted butter, very cold
2 cup all-purpose flour

0.5 cup granulated sugar
0.25 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

1
Cut the butter into 1- to 1 ½-inch pieces and place them in a small bowl. Freeze while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, ½ cup of the sugar, and the salt. Beat on low until just combined, about 15 seconds.
3
Add the butter all at once and beat on low until the dough starts to resemble coarse meal, with pea-sized pieces of butter throughout, about 3 minutes.

4
Increase the mixer to medium and beat until the dough clumps around the paddle and/or the sides of the bowl, 2 to 3 minutes. If necessary, use a mixer cover or kitchen towel while beating to prevent any pieces of dough from shooting out of the bowl.
5
Tip the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper around the size of a half sheet pan and use your hands to shape it into a roughly 6-inch square. Place a second sheet of parchment paper over the dough, creating a parchment sandwich with the dough in the middle.
6
Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough between the parchment sheets, working from left to right. Turn the dough 90 degrees and repeat every so often, doing so will prevent the dough from cracking as you roll it. If the parchment starts to wrinkle and leave creases in the dough, pull the

Nutrition (per serving)

246kcal

Calorie breakdown

Protein5%14 kcal

Fat46%113 kcal

Carbohydrates49%123 kcal

How this was calculated — 4 of 4 ingredients matched

unsalted butterButter, salted1721 kcal

all-purpose flourFlour, wheat, all-purpose, enriched, bleached1757 kcal

granulated sugarSugars, granulated462 kcal

kosher saltSalt, table0 kcal

Serving size ≈ 53 g · 16 servings

Nutrition information is automatically calculated from USDA FoodData Central, so should only be used as an approximation. Actual values may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, and preparation methods used.

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Keyword: Oven Baked, vegetarian

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