Shortbread is about as simple as baking gets, but simple doesn’t mean plain. With just five ingredients, this recipe delivers rich, buttery cookies that melt in your mouth. Shape them into cutouts for the holidays or press the dough into a pan for classic shortbread fingers. Either way, you end up with a timeless treat that works for any season, though it especially shines around Christmas.
Quick facts
- Prep time: 30 minutes
- Chill time: 2 hours (or overnight)
- Bake time: 18 minutes
- Makes: 48 cookies
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Just five ingredients. No long shopping list, and you likely have most of it already.
- Rich, buttery flavor. Shortbread is all about the butter, and this recipe lets it shine.
- Two ways to shape it. Cut it into shapes with cookie cutters, or press it into a pan for traditional fingers.
- No spreading to worry about. These cookies hold their shape in the oven, so you can space them close together.
- A versatile base. Plain shortbread works for any occasion, and it’s easy to dress up with a dip in chocolate or a dusting of sugar if you want to get fancy.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks)
- 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (372g) all-purpose flour
How to Make Shortbread Cookies
Part 1: Make the Dough
1. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar together until smooth.
2. Add the vanilla and salt. Mix these in until the dough looks smooth again.
3. Add the flour. Mix in the flour one cup at a time, blending fully after each addition before adding the next.
4. Chill if needed. If the dough feels too sticky to roll at this point, refrigerate it for 20 minutes before moving on.
Option A: Shortbread Cutouts
5. Roll out the dough. Divide the dough in half. Roll each half to about ¼ inch thick between two sheets of wax paper or parchment paper.
6. Chill. Refrigerate the rolled dough for at least 2 hours, or overnight. This resting time lets the dough firm up and also improves the flavor.
7. Preheat and prep. Heat the oven to 350°F and line three cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
8. Cut your shapes. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into whatever shapes you like, or simply cut circles.
9. Bake. Since these cookies don’t spread, you only need an inch or two of space between them. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your cookies, until the edges just start to turn golden.
Option B: Shortbread Fingers
5. Press the dough into a pan. Line a rectangular or square pan with parchment paper and press the dough in evenly. The size of your pan will determine the final thickness.
6. Score and dock. Use a sharp knife to score the dough into roughly 1×2-inch rectangles, then use a fork to prick the surface all over.
7. Bake. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness, until the edges are lightly golden and the center is no longer translucent.
8. Cut and cool. Let the shortbread cool slightly, then cut all the way through along the scored lines. Once fully cool, separate the individual pieces.
Tips for Perfect Shortbread
Don’t rush the chilling step. Whether you’re making cutouts or fingers, chilling the dough lets it rest, firms up the butter, and deepens the flavor. Skipping ahead can leave you with cookies that spread more than they should.
Mix the flour in gradually. Adding it a cup at a time, rather than all at once, makes it easier to get a smooth, evenly combined dough without overworking it.
Dock the dough for fingers. Pricking the surface with a fork before baking helps steam escape evenly, so the shortbread bakes flat instead of puffing unevenly.
Cut while slightly warm. For the pan method, cutting through the scored lines while the shortbread is still a little warm gives you cleaner edges than waiting until it’s fully cooled.
Watch for golden edges, not golden tops. Shortbread is done when the edges just begin to color. The center should look set and no longer shiny or translucent.
Storing
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to a month.
Final Thoughts
Shortbread proves that a short ingredient list doesn’t mean a short list of possibilities. Whether you roll and cut it into festive shapes or press it into a pan for classic fingers, the buttery, melt-in-your-mouth result is always worth the wait for the dough to chill. Keep this one in your back pocket for holidays, gifting, or whenever you want a simple, satisfying cookie. Let me know how yours turn out.