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Shortbread Cookies Recipe – Buttery, Crisp, and Easy
Shortbread cookies are the kind of treat that makes you pause after the first bite. They’re rich, buttery, lightly sweet, and perfectly crisp around the edges with a tender crumb. This classic recipe doesn’t need eggs, leavening, or fancy tools—just a few pantry staples and a gentle touch.
If you’re new to baking, shortbread is a great place to start. And if you’ve made them before, this version gives you reliable, bakery-style results with simple steps.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Simple ingredients, big flavor: Just butter, sugar, flour, and a pinch of salt create that signature buttery taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- No special equipment required: A bowl, a mixer or wooden spoon, and a baking sheet are all you need.
- Easy to customize: Add citrus zest, vanilla, chocolate, or spices to make them your own.
- Perfect texture: Crisp edges and a tender, sandy crumb thanks to the right mixing method and a short chill.
- Make-ahead friendly: Dough freezes well, and baked cookies store beautifully.
Shopping List
- Unsalted butter, room temperature (1 cup or 226 g)
- Granulated sugar (1/2 cup or 100 g) or caster sugar for a finer texture
- All-purpose flour (2 cups or 240 g), measured correctly
- Fine salt (1/4 teaspoon), if using unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract (optional, 1 teaspoon) for flavor
- Optional coatings: sanding sugar, turbinado sugar, or melted chocolate for dipping
How to Make It
- Prep your tools and oven: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Cooler oven, gentler bake—ideal for shortbread.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together for 1–2 minutes until smooth and slightly fluffy. Don’t overwhip—shortbread should be tender, not airy.
- Add vanilla and salt: Mix in the vanilla and salt just until combined.
- Add the flour: Sprinkle in the flour and mix on low or stir by hand until the dough looks crumbly but holds together when pressed. Stop as soon as it comes together.
- Choose your shape:
- Classic rounds: Roll the dough into a 2-inch wide log, wrap, and chill for 20–30 minutes.
Slice 1/4-inch thick.
- Cut-out shapes: Pat the dough into a flat disk, chill 15–20 minutes, then roll to 1/4-inch thick and cut with a cookie cutter.
- Pan shortbread: Press into an 8×8-inch pan, prick with a fork, and score into fingers.
- Classic rounds: Roll the dough into a 2-inch wide log, wrap, and chill for 20–30 minutes.
- Dock the dough: Use a fork to prick the cookies. This helps steam escape and keeps the surface flat and crisp.
- Optional sugar crust: Sprinkle the tops with a little granulated or sanding sugar for crunch.
- Bake: Bake for 16–22 minutes depending on thickness and shape. Look for pale edges with a light golden hue—no deep browning.
- Cool properly: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If baked in a pan, re-cut while warm and let cool in the pan.
- Finish and serve: Dip one end in melted chocolate or dust with confectioners’ sugar once cool, if you like.
Storage Instructions
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Add a sheet of parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
- Freezing dough: Wrap shaped dough (log or disk) tightly and freeze up to 2 months. Slice or roll from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to bake time.
- Freezing baked cookies: Freeze cooled cookies in a sealed container for up to 2 months.
Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Keep crisp: Slip in a small packet of food-safe desiccant or a dry paper towel if your environment is humid.
Benefits of This Recipe
- Reliable results: The proportions and low oven temperature help avoid spreading and overbrowning.
- Budget-friendly: Uses everyday ingredients and no specialty tools.
- All-occasion treat: Great for holidays, tea time, gifts, or simple weekday snacks.
- Customizable: Easy to adapt with flavors and toppings without changing the base method.
- Make-ahead ease: Dough and baked cookies both store well, making entertaining stress-free.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overmixing the dough: Too much mixing develops gluten, leading to tough cookies. Stop when the dough just comes together.
- Warm dough: Skipping the chill can cause spreading and uneven edges. A short chill makes cleaner slices and sharper shapes.
- Wrong oven temperature: Baking too hot browns the edges before the centers set.
Stick to 325°F (165°C).
- Inaccurate flour measurement: Packing flour into the cup adds too much. Spoon and level, or weigh (240 g).
- Overbaking: Shortbread should be pale with slight golden edges. Deep color means dryness.
- Using cold butter: It won’t cream properly, and the dough won’t bind well.
Soften to cool-room temperature first.
Recipe Variations
- Vanilla Bean: Add seeds from half a vanilla bean or use vanilla bean paste for a fragrant finish.
- Lemon or Orange: Mix in 1–2 teaspoons of citrus zest and a tiny squeeze of juice (reduce juice to just a few drops to avoid sticky dough).
- Chocolate Chip: Fold in mini chocolate chips (1/2 cup). Slice-and-bake works best for even distribution.
- Almond: Replace 1/4 cup flour with finely ground almonds and add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
- Earl Grey: Grind 1–2 teaspoons loose-leaf Earl Grey tea and mix into the dough.
- Rosemary Sea Salt: Add 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary and finish with a light sprinkle of flaky salt.
- Chocolate-Dipped: Dip cooled cookies in melted dark or white chocolate and add crushed pistachios or coconut.
- Brown Sugar: Swap half the granulated sugar for light brown sugar for a caramel note and slightly softer crumb.
FAQ
Can I use salted butter?
Yes. Skip the added salt or reduce it to a tiny pinch.
Salted butter varies by brand, so taste the dough—just a tiny bit—to check the saltiness.
Why did my cookies spread?
The dough was likely too warm, or the oven was too hot. Chilling the shaped dough and keeping the oven at 325°F helps. Also confirm your butter wasn’t overly soft or melted.
What if I don’t have a mixer?
Use a sturdy wooden spoon or spatula.
Soften the butter well and cream by hand until smooth. It takes a little elbow grease but works fine.
Can I make them gluten-free?
Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that includes xanthan gum. The texture will be slightly different but still tasty.
Avoid almond flour alone; it needs a different formula.
How thick should I slice the cookies?
About 1/4 inch is ideal. Thinner cookies bake faster and crisp more; thicker ones are softer in the center. Adjust baking time accordingly.
Do I need to chill the dough?
It’s not strictly required, but highly recommended for clean shapes and minimal spread.
Even 15–20 minutes helps.
Why dock with a fork?
Pricking the surface lets steam escape, keeping the cookies flat and evenly baked. It also gives that classic shortbread look.
How do I get super tender shortbread?
Use room-temperature butter, avoid overmixing, measure flour accurately, and bake low and slow. A brief chill also helps keep the texture delicate.
Final Thoughts
This Shortbread Cookies Recipe is a reminder that simple can be exceptional.
With just a few ingredients and thoughtful technique, you get cookies that are buttery, lightly sweet, and effortlessly elegant. Keep a batch of dough in the freezer, customize the flavor to suit the moment, and enjoy a classic that never goes out of style. Whether you serve them with tea, gift them in a tin, or save a few for late-night cravings, they always hit the spot.
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