This Shortbread Cookie recipe results in the most divinely delicious cookie-subtly sweet and gloriously buttery with a perfect tender crunch. Easy to make, with simple ingredients, and they make a beautiful gift. Includes a video.
Hands down, Shortbread Cookies are my favorite cookie. The ingredients are simple, the process is easy, and the result is pure magic. Shortbread cookies are the perfect balance of crispy texture, subtle sweetness, and a touch of salt. Scrumptious just like they are-or use them as a tasty base for spices, herbs, citrus zest, nuts, seeds, and extracts.
For Shortbread Cookies to be at their best, the texture has to be right; they need to be flakey and crispy all the way through. The key here is to bake in a low-temperature oven and use a little rice flour! Rice flour inhibits the development of gluten and adds to the texture, ensuring that your cookie will have a crisp texture all the way through.
Why You’ll Love This
- Sweet and buttery flavor! A subtle sweetness with buttery flavor makes a deeply satisfying cookie!
- Tender, rustic texture. Flakey and crispy texture thanks to a little rice flour.
- Easy to make. A simple, easy-to-follow method with minimal ingredients!
- Versatile. Use this cookie as a base for spices, herbs, citrus, zest, nuts, seeds, and extracts.
Shortbread Cookies Ingredients
- Unsalted butter: Use organic if possible, with a higher butterfat content, or European-style butter. Softened.
- Organic cane sugar
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Rice flour: For the best texture! Or use more all-purpose flour.
- Fine sea salt
How to Make Shortbread Cookies
Preheat oven to 300F.
Step 1: Cream butter and sugar. Cream together butter and sugar for 1 minute in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Scrape down sides and mix again.
Step 2: Add vanilla. Mix for a few seconds, incorporating vanilla.
Step 3: Add flour and salt. Add all-purpose flour, rice flour, and salt. Add any flavorings at this time (see notes). Mix on medium until dough comes together and begins to pull away from bowl. Adjust salt to taste-Himalayan salt is such a lovely compliment. Scrape down and pat into a flat square.
Step 4: Roll. On a floured surface, silpat, or floured parchment, roll (using a rolling pin) into 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Alternatively, you can pat into a long flat brick, wrap with plastic wrap, cool, and slice (see recipe notes).
Step 5: Trim, cut, and poke. Trim edges and cut into 1×3-inch pieces.
Poke holes, using a fork or toothpick.
Step 6: Chill. Space cookies out 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Chill tray for 30 minutes in fridge, or place in freezer for 15 minutes.
Step 7: Bake. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet or on a wire rack-they will crisp up!
Expert Tips
- Bake low and slow. It takes a little time for the cookies to develop that sandy, flakey texture all the way through.
- Don’t over-mix the dough. Over-mixing can cause the cookies to spread in the oven. We also don’t want to develop any of the gluten, which can make them chewy.
- The rice flour elevates! This helps ensure the perfect crispy texture we want!
Shortbread Cookies Variations
- 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed anise seeds + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup cocoa nibs + 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans + 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom + 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary leaves + 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup shredded chocolate
- dip half of the cookie in melted dark chocolate (possibly adding sprinkles to the chocolate half!)
- use icing to decorate into Christmas cookies!
FAQs
You could certainly experiment with using vegan butter or coconut oil! We have not tried this yet.
The most common mistake is over-working the dough or using too much flour. If you want a crumbly texture, avoid over-mixing the dough and keep your hands and surface light on flour.
It’s not just for decoration! The holes help the cookies bake more evenly throughout.
Yes, you can make these using a hand-held mixer with a large mixing bowl.
Storage
Make sure the cookies are completely cool. Store in a covered airtight container for up to 2 weeks at room temperature. Freeze up to 3 months.
Hope you enjoy this shortbread recipe! Let us know what you think in the comments-and what flavor variations you try with these classic Shortbread Cookies!
More Cookie Recipes You May Enjoy
- Stuffed Dates with Pistachios
- Roasted Fig Tart with Honey and Mascarpone
- Easy Apple Pie with Pie Crust Cookies
- Meyer Lemon Loaf Cake with Pistachios
- Thumbprint Cookies with Walnuts and Apricot Jam
- Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
- Vegan Oatmeal Cookies with Chai-Soaked Raisins
- Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Shortbread Cookies Video
Shortbread Cookie Recipe (Video)
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: cookies, desserts
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Shortbread Cookie recipe results in the most divinely delicious cookie- subtlety sweet and gloriously buttery with a perfect tender crunch. Easy to make, with simple ingredients, they make a beautiful gift. Includes a video.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (225 g or 8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (240 g)
- 1/4 cup rice flour (40 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (Himalayan is good here)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Cream together softened butter and sugar for 1 minute in a stand mixer until just smooth. Scrape down the sides. Mix again.
- Add vanilla. Mix another few seconds to incorporate.
- Add all-purpose flour, rice flour and salt. Add any flavorings at this time (see notes). Mix on medium speed just until the dough comes together, and starts to pull away from the bowl. Scrape the dough out and pat it into a flattened square.
- On a floured surface, silpat, or floured piece of parchment, roll as evenly as you can to 1/2″ thickness. (Alternatively you can form it into a long “brick”, refrigerate, then slice- see notes)
- Trim the edges and cut into 1 x 3-inch pieces. Poke holes if you like using a fork or toothpick. ( Or feel free to use a cookie cutter, reusing the scraps.)
- Carefully space out 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined sheet pan using a metal spatula for this. Chill the entire tray of cookies for 30 minutes in the refrigerator, or place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Place the cold tray of cookies in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest on the tray for a few minutes and move to a cooling rack. They will crisp up as they cool.
To Store
Make sure cookies are completely cool and store in a covered container for up to two weeks at room temperature. Freeze up to 3 months.
Notes
Brick: On a floured piece of parchment, form the dough into a log, then pat into a brick, 12 inches long by 1 inch tall by 3 inches wide. Use a dough scraper to tidy the edges. Place on a small sheet pan, wrap up, and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 4 days (or freeze for later). Once thoroughly chilled, slice into 24, ½-inch slices. Poke holes if you like. Continue with step 7 in the recipe.
Shortbread Cookie Variations
- 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed anise seeds + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup cocoa nibs + 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts or pecans + 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom + 1/4 cup crystalized ginger, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary leaves + 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup shredded chocolate
- dip half of the cookie in melted dark chocolate
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one cookie
- Calories: 124
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 25.5 mg
- Fat: 7.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.6 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1.1 g
- Cholesterol: 20.3 mg
This is a wonderful shortbread recipe! Easy to follow instructions, and they turn out perfect everytime. Delicious anytime, but has definitely become a holiday tradition.
So glad you are enjoying Valerie!