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About Shortbread Cookies
While buying store-bought shortbread cookies is easy, making them at home is pure joy! The recipe is incredibly easy, and the dough comes together quickly. Also, it requires very few ingredients. In my opinion, homemade cookies are fresher, have better flavors, and are more tender. Also, we know what goes into making cookies, and we can stay away from artificial colors or additives. My family does not prefer too much sweetness. So the best part of making baked goods at home is that I can control the amount of sugar. Shortbread cookies are perfectly crisp outside and still very tender and melt in the mouth. The texture is slightly crumbly and flaky. They are flavored with warm and sweet pure vanilla.
Ingredients For Shortbread Cookies
Step by Step Directions
Preparations
Line the cookie sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. This recipe will yield 20-24 cookies. So if you have two cookie sheets, line them both.
Making The Dough
Whisk flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Place butter and icing sugar in a bowl of a stand mixer. Instead of a stand mixer, you can also use a hand-held electric mixer or food processor.
Cream the butter and sugar using a paddle attachment, initially at low speed and then at medium to high speed, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add vanilla and mix for a few seconds until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Turn the mixer to low and add flour in two parts. Mix until just combined.
Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Do not overmix. The dough should be soft and hold its shape but not sticky or crumbly. If it is dry, crumbly, and not coming together, you can add 1 teaspoon of milk or as required to bring the dough together.
Rolling and Cutting The Dough
Place the dough on a clean and lightly floured work surface. You can use a silicone mat or parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to about ¼ inch thick.
Note: In this recipe, I have first rolled the dough, cut it into circles, and then chilled the cookie dough cutouts. But if your dough is very soft and sticky and you are having trouble rolling it, you can first place it in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. Then take it out and continue with the following procedures.
Using the circular cookie cutter, cut out the cookie dough into circles. Instead of a circular cookie cutter, you can use your favorite one to shape the cookies. Gather the scraps, roll them again in a ¼-inch thick disc, and make more cookie dough circles. Carefully transfer to the prepared cookie sheets and place about at least 1-inch apart.
Chilling The Cookie Dough Cutouts
Now transfer these cookie sheets to the fridge and chill the cookie dough circles for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can also freeze them for 15 minutes.
Baking Shortbread Cookies
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Bake the cookies, one cookie sheet at a time, for 15-18 minutes or until cookies are dry to the touch and lightly golden around the edges. While the first cookie sheet is in the oven, keep the second one in the fridge. Remove the cookies from the oven.
Sprinkle the cookies generously with granulated sugar while the cookies are still warm. Then transfer them to wire racks and allow them to cool completely.
Storing Suggestions
These cookies are great as cookie jar cookies. They can stay at room temperature for several days, stored in an airtight container. Shortbread Cookies also freeze well. Store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to a month.
Variations For Shortbread Cookies
We can treat shortbread cookie dough as a base and add add-ins of our choice. For example, finely chopped nuts can go well with this cookie dough to make buttery and nutty cookies. For more flavors, we can add lemon zest or orange zest. Dip half of the shortbread cookies into melted chocolate for the chocolatey treat. Add dried fruit powder for the fruity-flavored cookies. Other than vanilla, you can use other choices of extracts, for example, almond or coconut. Add mini chocolate chips to the dough.
Helpful Tips
For the perfect cookies, make sure to measure the flour correctly. I will suggest using a kitchen scale. If using the cup method, fluff your flour with the spoon and then spoon it into a measuring cup. Then level it off with the knife. Do not overwork the dough; otherwise, it will end up in dense and crumbly cookies. For the best flavor, use pure vanilla and not artificial extract. You can make the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. If your dough is very soft and sticky, having trouble rolling it, refrigerate it for at least 15 minutes. Then roll it and continue with the rest of the procedures. You can use any of your favorite cookie cutters to cut the dough.
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