Shortbread Cookie Recipe
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This shortbread cookie recipe delivers the perfect blend of buttery richness and a crisp, crumbly texture—making it the ideal treat to bake ahead for the holidays.
Buttery, crisp, and just sweet enough, classic shortbread cookies are loved for their rich flavor and crumbly texture. The name comes from the generous amount of butter in the dough, which creates that signature “short” texture—historically, “short” meant crumbly, and shortening refers to fat used in pastries. Originally from Scotland, shortbread is traditionally baked in sun-like rounds and cut into wedges, but it’s just as delicious baked in a square pan and sliced into classic rectangular fingers.
Traditionally served on the winter solstice, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day, shortbread keeps well for up to a month—making it the perfect treat to bake and share during the holiday season.
“I’ve made this several times and it’s so good…perfectly buttery, slightly sweet and I love the touch of almond.”
What You’ll Need To Make Shortbread Cookies
- Butter: Provides richness and flavor to the shortbread.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens the shortbread and helps create its delicate crumb texture. Sometimes granulated sugar is used in shortbread, but I prefer confectioners’ sugar as it gives the cookies a softer, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm and aromatic flavor to the cookies.
- Almond Extract: Infuses the shortbread with a fragrant, nutty flavor; remember, a little goes a long way!
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the dough; always use the spoon-and-level method to measure flour to ensure accuracy.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until creamy and smooth.
Add the flour and mix on low speed until the dough is evenly combined.
Split the dough in half and place each portion into a greased, parchment-lined 8-inch round cake pan. Dust your hands with flour and press each half into an even layer. To smooth the surface, cover the dough with plastic wrap and press it down with your hands. Use a fork to prick the dough every inch to allow steam to escape while baking.
Bake the shortbread in a 300°F oven until the top is lightly golden brown and the edges are a deeper golden color, about 35 minutes. Baking at a low temperature ensures the shortbread cooks slowly without over-browning. Remove the pans from the oven and let the shortbread cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
Use a blunt knife to run around the edges of the pan to loosen the shortbread. Carefully turn each round out of the pans, then gently lift the shortbread onto a cutting board.
Using a sharp knife, cut into wedges. Let cool then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month, or freeze for up to 3 months.
I love classic shortbread just as it is, but it’s fun to play with the flavors. A bit of lemon or orange zest can brighten it up, while a pinch of cinnamon adds a cozy warmth. You can also dress it up by dipping it in melted chocolate or sprinkling on festive sprinkles or coarse sugar before baking—it’s a simple way to make it feel a little extra special.
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Shortbread Cookies
The rich, buttery goodness of shortbread is hard to beat—perfect for the holidays or whenever you’re in the mood for a sweet treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Lightly grease two round 8-in cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pans with parchment rounds, and then spray again.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, combine the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the flour beat on low speed until the dough comes together in a cohesive mass.
- Divide the dough in half (if you have a scale, each half will weigh about 10.5 oz). Dust your hands with flour and press each half into an even layer in the prepared pans, dusting your hands with more flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking. To smooth the surface, place a piece of plastic wrap over the dough and smooth with your hands. Use a fork to prick the dough all over in 1-inch intervals to allow steam to escape while the shortbread bakes.
- Bake the shortbread until it's a light golden brown across the top surface, and a deeper golden brown around the edges, about 35 minutes.
- Remove the pans from the oven, and let cool on a rack for about 10 minutes. Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the shortbread, and then carefully turn each round out of the pans, using your hand to gently lower the shortbread onto a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut each round into 8 or 10 wedges. (Do this while the shortbread is still warm; otherwise, it won't cut easily and will crumble.) Transfer the shortbread wedges to a rack to finish cooling. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month, or freeze for longer storage.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The shortbread dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. After mixing, shape the dough into 2 disks, wrap each securely in plastic wrap, and place them in a sealable bag. Thaw overnight before baking. To freeze the shortbread after baking, store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 wedge
- Calories: 152
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 60 mg
- Cholesterol: 24 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made these for the first time today to accompany my family’s favorite boiled custard I make every year for the holidays! They are easy to make and your directions are very easy to follow. I didn’t change anything in the ingredients but I see how I could use different flavorings. That tip to smooth the surface by using plastic wrap is great!!!
I usually make a lemon poundcake at Christmas, but with only two of us at home this year, these shortbread cookies are a perfect accompaniment to the boiled custard!
Thank you Jen for another great recipe. I wanted to make banana pudding but it’s been forever since I last made it. With a southern mother I grew up eating banana pudding at every life event, holiday, and family reunion. Nabisco destroyed Nilla wafers taste years ago. I remembered somewhere you had offered a cookie recipe as a sub for Nilla wafers. This is perfect. I made a double batch. I left the crust whole and made three layers. and used about half the fourth layer as cookie crumbs for the decorative top. It’s absolute perfection. The recipe is simple. It came together in just a few minutes and it tastes identical to the banana pudding of my childhood. Once again banana pudding will be on the table at family events.
I love to cook, but really seldom bake. It seems to require so much precision, and I’m not overly fond of sweets. I had some really amazing salted, rosemary shortbread a while back. I’m wondering if I could use this recipe as a base to try and make that. Any suggestions?
Because the shortbread doesn’t have a ton of sugar, I think you could get away with it. I’d add the rosemary into the dough and sprinkle the top with a pinch or two of sea salt. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Hi Jenn – Wondering if this dough can be rolled out and cut with cookies cutters? I have vintage ones I’d love to use. Thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Sarah, I do think it would work, although it might be a bit delicate to handle. I’d love to know how it turns out if you try it.
Hi Jenn! Rolling out the dough and using cookie cutters worked beautifully! The dough is incredibly forgiving. I boxed the cookies up for friends visiting from Scotland. Thanks again! Your recipes are genius. 🙂
So glad to hear it! Thanks for taking the time to report back. 😊
What a waste of perfectly good ingredients! Garbage recipe.
+just say that you did not like it
no need to be rude
Rick are you always a jerk when life doesn’t go your way?
Perhaps you didn’t follow or understand the directions? Maybe an ingredient you used expired?
I’ve baked this recipe more times than I can count, and I never had a problem. In fact family & friends request I bake this because it’s so,so good.
Good luck to you.
Lisa
Amazing. Simple. Simply amazing.