You’ll love these Homemade Shortbread Cookies! They melt in your mouth and are perfectly buttery and milky. You only need 3 ingredients for this buttery cookie recipe.

I love classic cookie recipes. Give me some Danish Butter Cookies or some Chocolate Chip Cookies, and I’ll be a happy girl!

Make It At Home

The first time I had classic shortbread cookies was at a family friend’s house. The cookies had the perfect mouth texture. They weren’t crumbly shortbread cookies, but it was clear that they were made with a classic shortbread recipe because of their incredible flavor and consistency. I wanted more… and more, but there wasn’t enough to go around.

So, I started searching for the best cookies in the stores because my taste buds were eager to enjoy some. The price at which they were sold could make me faint. I believed it was so much money just for “biscuits.”

But they taste really good and they are very rich so I understand but I couldn’t keep churning out all that money for delicious cookies. So, I had a good idea: I would find a way to make my own flavorful shortbread cookies. To bring my favorite cookies to life in my own kitchen.

I’m happy I created this base recipe for shortbread fingers because next time I crave these sweet treats, I can refer back to this easy shortbread cookie recipe (and you can, too)! So, what do these butter shortbread cookies entail? Let’s get into it!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These milky, buttery cookies (did I already say that?) are just divine. I thought the recipe would include milk since they taste milky, but nope. The very present milky taste comes from the butter.

So, no milk is needed in this shortbread recipe. The butter makes it taste milky because butter is dairy. It isn’t too sweet, either, almost like a shortbread biscuit. If you love easy shortbread cookies, also check out these Lemon Shortbread Cookies.

Ingredients for Homemade Shortbread Cookies

You only need 3 main ingredients for homemade shortbread cookies. These are similar to Scottish shortbread cookies since you don’t need added leavening agents!

1. Butter. You can use either salted or unsalted butter. If you choose to use salted butter, omit the salt from the recipe! European butter is also a fantastic option, as it has a high fat content. It is up to your personal preference.
2. Sugar. This recipe calls for icing sugar (or confectioner’s sugar) instead of granulated sugar.
3. Plain Flour. You can use all-purpose flour for this recipe. I have never tried this recipe with rice flour or other kinds, and I believe AP flour is best here.

How To Make Homemade Shortbread Cookies

This simple recipe is easy to make since you can make the dough by hand. However, you can make it in different ways: if you want to use a stand mixer, use a paddle attachment. You can also use a hand mixer, as long as you are careful not to overmix.

Prep the parchment-lined baking sheet: Line one large or two medium baking trays with parchment paper and set aside.

1: Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Put room temperature butter and sugar in a large bowl.

2: Cream together until well incorporated. (If using a mixer, use medium speed).

3: Sieve your flour into the mixing bowl. Then, add a pinch of salt. (If using an electric mixer, start with low speed then slowly increase it).

4: Mix together. The mixture will be slightly tough. Just try to get everything together.

5: Now mold into a ball of dough.

6: Wrap shortbread dough in a plastic wrap and try to form it into a rectangle as much as you can. It should be about half an inch thick.

7: Now place the dough in a fridge and let it cool for about 30 minutes. You need to do this so you can shape your cookies properly. Take it out and use a rolling pin to roll it out to about a quarter inch thick.

Tip: Leave the plastic wrap on while doing this so you don’t have to work on a lightly floured surface. Your work surface will remain clean with the plastic!

8: Remove the plastic wrap and trim the edges to form a rectangle—or something in the form of a rectangle. Ha. With a sharp knife, cut out into little rectangles—about 2-4 inches long. If you have cookie cutters, you can use them to cut different shapes.

Join together your trimmed edges to form a ball, roll it out, and cut out more cookies. Note that if your dough starts feeling melty (butter will melt fast if the atmosphere is warm), put it in the fridge to harden for a few minutes, then take it out and continue. You can also place the cookies in the fridge for about 10 minutes before baking if they feel too soft.

9: Place your cuts in a single layer on your prepared cookie sheet. Use a fork to poke each piece a couple of times.

10: Bake shortbread on the prepared baking sheet in the oven for about 10 minutes or until light golden brown in color. The bake time can vary slightly depending on your oven.

Avoid moving them around or off of the baking pan too soon while they are very hot so you don’t break them. Wait until they are firmer to place them on a wire rack.

Variations

• Decorate Them: You can decorate these cookies like you would sugar cookies! Make a delicious royal icing to create designs on them, or simply heat some chocolate chips and use the melted chocolate to do so.
• Sugar: Before baking them, sprinkle on a small amount of brown sugar or coarse sugar for added sweetness and texture.
• Jam: Bake these shortbread cookies with jam! Use a round cutter and put a small dollop of your favorite jam before baking for a fruity flavor.
• Edible Flowers: If you can get ahold of small edible flowers, you can gently press them against the dough. First, apply egg whites with a pastry brush so the flowers will stick.
• Sprinkles: Mix sprinkles directly into the dough or add them on top before baking, gently pressing them so that they don’t fall off during baking.

Expert Tips

• These homemade shortbread cookies are great for any time of year, but especially for Christmas time, New Year, Valentine’s Day, or any celebration! Try making them during the holiday season and using them in cookie exchanges. These shortbread cookies also make great edible gifts!
• There are lots of options in regard to how you can shape these cookies. Although I mentioned cutting them with knives or cutters, you can also create a log shape with the dough and slice the log to create uniform cookies. Or, use a cookie press to create pretty shapes!
• If you want a deeper flavor, add a small amount of vanilla extract or another baking extract. Just remember that a little goes a long way!
• If you don’t have icing sugar, you can make your own with granulated sugar and corn starch. Use a blender or food processor and mix the two until it forms the consistency of confectioners’ sugar. For every 1 cup of granulated sugar, you only need a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch.
• You can also bake these cookies on a silicone mat instead of parchment paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Watch How to Make Homemade Shortbread Cookies

More Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

• Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Easy Coconut Macaroons
• Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Danish Butter Cookies
• Lemon Shortbread Cookies

If you make this recipe for Homemade Shortbread Cookies, please take a moment to leave a star rating and comment below. I love hearing from you!

*This recipe has been updated with new pictures, doubled measurements, nutritional information, and lots of tips.

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