4.9 from 291 votes
Shortbread Cookie Recipe
This shortbread cookie recipe makes tender, buttery, classic shortbread cookies that hold their shape in the oven and melt in your mouth. Dipping in chocolate is optional, but highly recommended! Recipe includes a how-to video!
Prep Time
25 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 44 cookies (see note)
Calories: 67 kcal
Course:
Dessert , Baked Goods
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon table salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat butter until lightened, smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add sugar, stirring until light and creamy.
- Add vanilla extract and stir well.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt and whisk until combined.
- Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients and stir until completely combined.
- Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.
- Once cookie dough is nearly done chilling, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface until the dough is between ⅛”-¼” thickness. Press a cookie cutter directly into dough, making cuts close together, and place cookies on baking sheet spacing at least 2” apart. Combine any remaining scraps of cough into a ball and re-roll to make more cookies.
- Transfer baking sheet to center rack of 350F (175C) oven and bake for 9-11 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn a very light golden brown (bake time will vary depending on thickness of dough and size of cookie cutter).
- If desired, melt 1 cup/6 oz/170g chocolate and dip completely cooled cookies into chocolate. Place cookies on a wire rack and allow chocolate to set before serving.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- This will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter used and how thick or thin you roll the dough. I use a 2” cookie cutter and get about 44 cookies.
- Upgrade to European-style butter for richer-tasting, more buttery cookies.
- Elevate your cookies by substituting 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste or the seeds of a scraped vanilla bean for the vanilla extract.
- Make a brown sugar shortbread by reducing the powdered sugar to ½ cup (63g), cream ¼ cup (50g) of brown sugar with the butter, and increase cornstarch to 3 Tablespoons.
- Original recipe can be found here.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1cookie
Calories
67kcal
(3%)
Carbohydrates
7g
(2%)
Protein
1g
(2%)
Fat
4g
(6%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
0.2g
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
Trans Fat
0.2g
Cholesterol
11mg
(4%)
Sodium
27mg
(1%)
Potassium
8mg
(0%)
Fiber
0.2g
(1%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
129IU
(3%)
Calcium
2mg
(0%)
Iron
0.3mg
(2%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 44cookies (see note)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 67
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cookie | |
| Calories | 67kcal | 3% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 11mg | 4% |
| Sodium | 27mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 8mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 0.2g | 1% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 129IU | 3% |
| Calcium | 2mg | 0% |
| Iron | 0.3mg | 2% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.