• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
Sugar Spun Run
  • All Recipes
  • Desserts
    • Cookies
    • Candy
    • Bars & Brownies
    • Cake
    • Pies
  • Pastries
  • Breads
  • Savory
  • Breakfast
    • Muffins
    • Scones
  • Seasonal
    • Cozy Winter / Holiday Treats
    • Easter / Spring
    • Fall Recipes
    • Summer Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About Me
  • All Recipes
  • Contact/Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Desserts / Cookies / Shortbread Cookies

    Shortbread Cookies

    March 22, 2019 Updated August 20, 2020 BySam 143 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Shortbread Cookies

    This is truly the Best Shortbread Cookies Recipe! It yields tender, crisp, buttery, and perfect cookies every time. A simple straightforward recipe with under 30 minutes of prep time. Includes a how-to video!

    Stack of shortbread cookies made from the best shortbread cookie recipe

    I feel like shortbread cookies are underrated.

    They’re simple, admittedly a little plain looking, and not nearly as flashy as a stack of  Monster Cookies or even Chocolate Chip Cookies. They’re probably not the first cookie you’d reach for on a cookie tray, at least I know they never were my first choice.

    But maybe they should be. Yes, they’re simple (only 5 ingredients), no, they’re not very flashy (though dressing them up with a chocolate drizzle helps), but the taste is sheer, simple, perfection. Buttery and tender, shortbread cookies have a delicate crispness to them, a light airiness that’s detectable as the crumb crumbles with that first bite. It’s their simplicity that actually makes them so good.

    And for such a simple recipe, there are so many variations out there! Months ago I began testing recipes and tried a lot of variations before I settled on this one. I tested with powdered sugar, granulated, a mix of the two, and cornstarch. I creamed the butter, melted the butter, and cut it in with a food processor, a pastry cutter, and even a grater (it worked well with my biscuits, thought it was worth a try here). This recipe not only came out on top in terms of taste and texture, it was also one of the easiest variations that I tried. 

    Ingredients for shortbread cookie recipe

    Ingredients

    A sister to my super popular butter cookies, these also require only a few basic ingredients. I’d bet you probably already have these in your pantry:

    • Butter. I like to use unsalted and add salt (it allows us to control the flavor!), but here’s a post I wrote on how to substitute salted butter for unsalted, if needed. 
    • Sugar. I was so sure I’d be using powdered sugar here like I did in my shortbread-esque crust for my fruit tart, but after dozens and dozens of taste tests, granulated sugar actually came out on top.
    • Vanilla extract. This is not a traditional ingredient for shortbread cookies and you can leave it out if you’d like. I, however, have trouble saying no to the flavor of vanilla and love the way it deepens the flavor of shortbread.
    • Salt. For flavor, of course. See my note above with the butter.
    • Flour. Use all-purpose (also often known as “plain”) flour. Self-rising flour will not work here.

    There is no baking powder or baking soda needed in this recipe, their omission is not accidental! This is just a brief overview of the ingredients I use and why, for full amounts and the entire recipe, please scroll down to the recipe box below.

    dough rolled thin and cut into shapes

    What’s the Difference Between a Sugar Cookie and Shortbread Cookies?

    The main difference between these two cookies is the ingredients and the ratios of the ingredients. Sugar cookies typically contain eggs, while shortbread cookie recipes do not. Shortbread also has a higher ratio of butter to flour, and the resulting cookies are usually more crumbly and tender.

    Here is a great sugar cookie recipe if you happen to be on the hunt for one!

    Do You Have to Refrigerate Shortbread Dough?

    For my shortbread cookies refrigerating the dough is required. A minimum of 15 minutes is needed to ensure that the dough is manageable and that it’s not going to spread in the oven.

    You need to refrigerate this recipe for at least 15-30 minutes, but it can stay wrapped up in the refrigerator for up to five days. Keep in mind that if the dough is chilled for longer than an hour, it will become really firm and difficult to roll. Let the dough sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes and it should be softened enough to roll and cut out.

    Plate full of shortbread cookies

    Other Recipes You Might Like:

    • Spritz Cookies
    • Sugar Cookie Bars
    • Snickerdoodles
    • Sprinkle Cookies

    Enjoy! 

    stack of chocolate-drizzled shortbread cookies

    Shortbread Cookies

    A sweet and simple recipe for tender, buttery shortbread cookies. A quick and easy recipe that can be made in under an hour. Drizzle with chocolate if you'd like!
    Includes a how-to VIDEO! 
    4.95 from 37 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: cookie, Cookies, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Chilling Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 30 2" round shortbread cookies
    Calories: 212kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (226g)
    • ¾ cups granulated sugar (150g)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional¹
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (280g)
    • 1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers or semisweet chocolate chips for drizzling/dipping optional (170g)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl with an electric mixer (or using a stand mixer) beat butter until creamy.
    • Add sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and beat until completely combined.
    • Gradually add flour until completely combined into butter mixture. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed so all flour is incorporated. Stir until combined, but try not to over-work the batter as this can warm it up and make it sticky/difficult to manage and make your resulting cookies tough.
    • Use a spoon or spatula to work dough together into a ball and then transfer to a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper. Work into a disk then transfer to refrigerator to chill for at least 15-30 minutes.
    • Once dough has nearly finished chilling, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
    • Once dough has finished chilling, transfer to a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll out to just over ¼" thickness. Use round, 2 ½" cookie cutter to cut into shapes. Use a spatula to transfer to prepared baking sheet. Space cookies at least 1" apart.
    • Bake in 350F (175C) oven for 15 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn a light golden brown. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying or dipping in chocolate.
    • If you'd like to dip/drizzle in chocolate, prepare melting wafers according to instructions on packet (or melt chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl in 15 second increments, stirring well between, until completely melted). Dip cooled cookies in chocolate or drizzle chocolate over cookies. Allow chocolate to harden completely before enjoying.

    Notes

    ¹Vanilla extract is not a traditional shortbread ingredient but I love the flavor that it adds. Feel free to omit if you prefer!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 2cookies (without chocolate) | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Iron: 0.9mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    « Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
    Easy Vanilla Cupcake Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Veronica

      November 10, 2019 at 6:10 pm

      Hi Sam. Could you tell me what flour you use thankyou Veronica.

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 10, 2019 at 8:26 pm

        Hi Veronica, I use all-purpose (plain) flour

        Reply
    2. Janet Marie

      October 13, 2019 at 11:08 am

      5 stars
      Made this cookie several weeks ago to eat with fresh fruit. They are great! And so easy to make! Froze at least a dozen of them so I wouldn’t eat the rest of them so fast. They freeze beautifully. They are all gone now so I am ready to make more.

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        October 13, 2019 at 1:28 pm

        Thank you so much, Janet! I am glad that you enjoyed the shortbread cookies and happy that they froze well. Happy Baking! 🙂

        Reply
    3. Susan

      October 11, 2019 at 3:37 pm

      5 stars
      I made them and everyone loved them. This will be my go-to recipe from now on. Thank you so much for the tips and thorough instructions. It was all very helpful.

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        October 11, 2019 at 3:40 pm

        Thank you so much, Susan! I am glad that you enjoyed the shortbread cookies. 🙂

        Reply
      • Elaine Slate

        October 18, 2019 at 2:41 pm

        After following the recipe exactly, the dough came out crumbly and will not hold together. Almost seems like it needs a bit of liquid added.

        Reply
        • Mike R

          October 23, 2019 at 10:03 am

          Hi, just had a first go at the cookies and they spread a lot in the oven becoming wide and thin in the process. In the video, it said this could happen if I used too little flower but I measured it and everything looked like the video except the end product. Any ideas please? Thx Mike

        • Sam

          October 23, 2019 at 1:53 pm

          Hi Mike! Usually the problem is that there isn’t enough flour used. If you don’t think that was the case there are a few other things that could cause this:
          Were the cookies put on a warm baking sheet?
          Was the butter very soft/nearly melted when it was used?
          Was the oven completely preheated (this can take 15 minutes or so) before the dough was added?
          These would be my best guesses as to why your shortbread cookies spread, I hope it helps!

    4. Tina

      September 23, 2019 at 4:52 pm

      I have a shortbread cookie mold…maybe 8 x 8. If I use this recipe and fill my mold do you know about how long it should bake?

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        September 24, 2019 at 6:05 am

        Hello, Tina! Unfortunately, I do not. I would just keep an eye on it. Let me know how it turns out. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Vivian

      July 21, 2019 at 7:51 am

      I’m going to use this as a base and add strawberry pieces and bits of mascarpone – it’s going to be delicious thanks for posting? Have you ever tried clarifying the butter? I’m thinking about doing that to intensify the buttery flavour

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 22, 2019 at 12:34 pm

        Hi Vivian! I have not tried it with clarified butter. If you try it out let me know how it goes. 🙂

        Reply
        • Audrey

          September 01, 2019 at 9:32 pm

          Your recipe calls for 1 cup 2 sticks of butter. Is that 1 cup plus 2 sticks or 1 cup = 2 sticks. I fell in love with shortbread when I was in Scotland and want to make them. Thanks.

        • Sam

          September 02, 2019 at 9:29 am

          Hi Audrey! Sorry about the confusion, that is 1 cup of butter (as in, 1 cup = 2 sticks, I was trying to be clear and just ended up making things more confusing). I made a small adjustment in the recipe to help clarify that. I hope you love the shortbread cookies!

    6. Molly

      June 02, 2019 at 8:51 am

      Can I bake these like thumb print cookies?

      Reply
      • Sam

        June 02, 2019 at 12:03 pm

        Hi Molly! I’d actually recommend my thumbprint cookie recipe instead. It’s similar but makes for a better thumbprint cookie. I hope that helps 🙂

        Reply
    7. Audrey Chavez

      April 29, 2019 at 5:15 pm

      5 stars
      I’m going to try making these,
      Recipe sounds pretty easy, and delicious .

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 29, 2019 at 6:51 pm

        I hope you love it, Audrey! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Dee

      April 19, 2019 at 6:30 pm

      My usual shortbread uses powdered sugar, what is the benefit of granulated sugar?

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 19, 2019 at 8:38 pm

        Hi Dee! In this recipe granulated sugar works best. I have tested many variations and this one was the winner. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Sally Halle

      April 04, 2019 at 7:14 am

      Does the flour have to be sifted?

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 04, 2019 at 10:39 am

        Hi Sally! It does not need to be sifted in this recipe. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Susan

      March 30, 2019 at 2:37 pm

      Hi! Can these be frozen then thawed out a few weeks later to enjoy? Would I wait to drizzle the chocolate once thawed out? Thanks for your help!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 31, 2019 at 2:06 am

        Hi Susan! They would be ok to freeze for a couple of weeks. The chocolate will be best if added after thawing. 🙂

        Reply
    11. Monika

      March 28, 2019 at 11:57 am

      Hi Sam,
      Can you decorate these using royal icing?

      Thank you

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 28, 2019 at 4:39 pm

        Absolutely! Enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
        • Monika

          April 01, 2019 at 1:05 pm

          Thank you! I can’t wait to try these. Loved the Chocolate sugar cookie. #yumminess

        • Sam

          April 01, 2019 at 2:29 pm

          I know you are going to love them! 🙂

    12. Steph

      March 26, 2019 at 5:28 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you, can’t wait to try these!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 26, 2019 at 8:32 pm

        I hope you love them, Steph! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Meredith

      March 24, 2019 at 6:56 am

      What do you think about using almond extract?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 24, 2019 at 9:37 pm

        Hi Meredith! That sounds great! I would start with a little less at first, because the flavor of almond extract can be pretty potent. 🙂

        Reply
    14. BMB

      March 23, 2019 at 11:56 am

      These look yummy! Do you think these cookies could be made with Earth Balance (vegan) butter (and still be yummy)? –Thanks!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 25, 2019 at 8:36 pm

        I’m sorry I am not familiar with using vegan butter. 🙁

        Reply
    15. dana

      March 22, 2019 at 2:42 pm

      No cornstarch?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 22, 2019 at 3:23 pm

        Nope, not in this one 🙂

        Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

    Spring Recipes

    lemon cake on white plate

    Lemon Cake

    close-up view of a thick slice of lemon blueberry cake frosted with lemon frosting

    Lemon Blueberry Cake

    pink strawberry cake on white plate

    Strawberry Cake

    three colorful easter sugar cookies decorated like bunny peeps

    Easter Sugar Cookies

    Carrot cake slice

    The Best Carrot Cake Recipe (with Video)

    Assembled strawberry shortcake.

    Strawberry Shortcake

    Most Popular

    flaky biscuit on white cloth

    Easy Homemade Biscuits

    Pizza dough in glass bowl, after rising

    The Best Pizza Dough Recipe

    one bite missing from a slice of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting

    The Best Vanilla Cake Recipe

    stack of 5 chocolate chip cookies

    The WORST Chocolate Chip Cookies

    NEVER MISS A RECIPE!

    places sugar spun run has been featured (Women's Day, Redbook, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, the huffington post, People, Delish, MSN, TLC, Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed)
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube

    Privacy Policy|Accessibility Statement

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    ABOUT

    • About Me
    • Policies, Disclosure & Privacy
    • Terms of Use

    CONTACT

    • Contact
    • Work with Me!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • Youtube

    © 2020 Sugar Spun Run. All Rights Reserved

    • 143