This has to be one of my favourite cookie recipes of all time. Shortbread butter cookies are not only incredibly easy to make, but absolutely delicious. I make this recipe every single year around the holidays and it’s always the first cookie to disappear from the table. Unlike the traditional shortbread cookies, I don’t refrigerate the batter, I bake these right away which is a bonus as it cuts down on the wait time and we are able to enjoy them quicker.
Shortbread Butter Cookies
This has to be one of my favourite cookie recipes of all time. Shortbread cookies are not only incredibly easy to make, but absolutely delicious. I make this recipe every single year around the holidays and it's always the first cookie to disappear from the table. Unlike the traditional shortbread cookies, I don’t refrigerate the batter, I bake these right away which cuts down on the wait time.
Ingredients
- ½ cup softened butter 1 stick
- ½ cup powdered sugar also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour or use 1-1 gluten-free flour
- ½ tablespoon almond milk any milk works
- sprinkles for decoration Christmas sprinkles are also beautiful
Instructions
- With an electric mixer in a bowl, or in a stand mixer, start creaming the butter, powdered sugar, salt, and pure vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste). This should take 2 to 3 minutes.
- Gradually add the flour a little bit at a time and stir it with a spatula until you have a tacky dough. Add the milk of choice and give it a mix.
- Insert a large star shaped piping tip to the bottom corner of the piping bag and cut it from the from the outside corner with scissors so that the piping tip fits through.
- Add the cookie batter to the piping bag or Ziplock bag, squeeze the batter down and secure it on top by holding the bag with your hand as you don't want the batter to move upwards as you squeeze.
- If you want to skip the previous step, you can roll the cookies into balls and press down with a fork that you dipped in powdered sugar.
- Pipe the cookies into a circle onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes or until golden edges. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Feel free to use 1-1 baking gluten-free flour for this recipe if you are gluten-free. The butter must be softened, not melted and not hard. If you use salted butter, you can completely leave out the salt.
If you can’t tolerate dairy at all you can try a vegan butter instead.
I use a large star tip and a piping bag, but you are more than welcome to roll the cookies into a ball and press them down with a fork that was dipped in powdered sugar.
Doing this in a stand mixer will be easier and less messy, you are more than welcome to use an electric mixer if you don’t have a stand mixer.
These cookies will last at least a week at room temperature, but I can’t guarantee it as mine disappear off the table the same day!
You can absolutely make these your own and add lemon or orange zest to the batter to brighten them up.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
