Christmas Shortbread Cookies – Recipe from Yummiest Food Cookbook (2024)

By Yummiest Food 77 Comments

Christmas Shortbread Cookies – adorable, delicious, tasty and with only 4 ingredients! You need to add this lovely Christmas Shortbread Cookies to your Christmas!

Christmas Shortbread Cookies – Recipe from Yummiest Food Cookbook (1)

Holidays are coming and all of us are in that holiday mood so you want something nice sweet and funny for you and your children and something which is going to make these holiday days special. I recommend you to make these sweet tasty cookies in a Christmas tree shape with only three ingredients.

I am so happy because of the holidays and I can’t wait to see what they will bring to us. Every year I make these Christmas Shortbread lovely Cookies. These are so delicious that melt in your mouth so I am making them in huge amounts. Even if you don’t eat them all they stay soft and tasty after a few days. I am making these Christmas Shortbread Cookies usually with my children and we really enjoy making them. Children use many shapes and that is very interesting so we get cookies in the shape of stars, Christmas trees, ring bells, snowmen, and of course the most interesting part is decorating with sprinkles. We use all colors but I mostly use a green and red combination.

These Christmas Shortbread Cookies are very easy to make and you need only three ingredients for the flour, butter, and sugar, and if you want you can add vanilla extract. Quick and easy cookies are perfect for every occasion so you can make little presents of them. Fresh baked Christmas Shortbread Cookies are something you can’t omit in this part of the year. I like it when they stay at my table because they remind me of the happiness and celebration of these holidays which are coming. I can’t imagine New Year without these lovely sweet cookies. You can take them out with you, make some coffee with an espresso machine.

These Christmas Shortbread Cookies are so soft and nice and I am sure that you will love them on the first bite. I recommend you immediately make a double mixture because I know that you will enjoy them. When my friends come over I have these sweets so we can enjoy them while we are spending time together. You can eat them with a cup of coffee or tea if you want so try to surprise someone with this easy recipe. These Christmas Shortbread Cookies are real mini edible presents. Enjoy this holiday magic!

Christmas Shortbread Cookies – Recipe from Yummiest Food Cookbook (2)Christmas Shortbread Cookies – Recipe from Yummiest Food Cookbook (3)

Related Posts - More recipes you might like:

  • Stacked Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

    A beautiful arrangement of Stacked Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies, layered with vanilla buttercream frosting, perfect for festive celebrations. This…

  • Christmas Red Velvet Poke Cake

    Christmas Red Velvet Poke Cake - very tasty, rich and moist! So easy to make, you need only few…

  • Christmas Snowball Cookies

    CHRISTMAS SNOWBALL COOKIES - They are buttery, melt in your mouth cookies, perfect coffee and tea cookie for your…

  • Christmas Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

    Christmas Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies - so delicious, so cute, so adorable! Make these Christmas Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies…


4.5 from 15 reviews

Save Print

Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Prep time:

Cook time:

Total time:

Christmas Shortbread Cookies - adorable, delicious, tasty and with only three ingredients! You need to add this lovely Christmas Shortbread Cookies to your Christmas!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter, cold and cut into pieces
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • Optional: red and green sprinkles

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl of an electric stand mixer cream together butter, granulated sugar and vanilla extract until well combined
  2. Add all-purpose flour and mix until combined
  3. Knead dough by hand for 5 minutes
  4. The dough should end up soft and pliable, similar to play-dough, not sticky
  5. Form a ball, wrap tightly, and chill for about 30 minutes
  6. While the dough is resting, preheat oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside
  7. Roll dough out to about ½ inch thickness, use a cookie cutter for shapes
  8. Place each cookie 2 inches apart on baking sheet, sprinkle sprinkles over the top if desired and gently press into dough
  9. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until edges are golden brown
  10. Immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Fun Side Note:

If you’re thinking of throwing a Christmas-themed party, why not choose to order a batch of cheap and fun Christmas shortbread cookie labels or stickers? Put these personalized labels and stickers on your finished Christmas shortbread cookie packages and give them to your friends, who will be delighted to receive a gift with such thoughtfulness. Just like these custom stickers and labels below, they look great!

https://www.customsticker.com/

Christmas Shortbread Cookies – Recipe from Yummiest Food Cookbook (8)Christmas Shortbread Cookies – Recipe from Yummiest Food Cookbook (9)

Related Posts - More recipes you might like:

  • Stacked Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

    A beautiful arrangement of Stacked Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies, layered with vanilla buttercream frosting, perfect for festive celebrations. This…

  • Christmas Red Velvet Poke Cake

    Christmas Red Velvet Poke Cake - very tasty, rich and moist! So easy to make, you need only few…

  • Christmas Snowball Cookies

    CHRISTMAS SNOWBALL COOKIES - They are buttery, melt in your mouth cookies, perfect coffee and tea cookie for your…

  • Christmas Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

    Christmas Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies - so delicious, so cute, so adorable! Make these Christmas Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies…

Previous Post: « Baklava

Next Post: Fettuccine Pasta With Mushrooms and Spinach »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Patrícia Guedes says

    Great recipe! I’ve made it for christmas gifts and everybody loved it.

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Thank you Patrícia for such a nice comment! I’m glad you like the recipe!

      Reply

      • Judy Pacifico says

        How many does this recipe make?

        Reply

        • Lidia Simic says

          Hi Judy, You can make 20-25, depending on cut-out cookie cutter size. Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday season!

          Reply

    • Meredith says

      Please send me the recipe I can’t find it just pictures

      Reply

      • Danielle says

        Keep scrolling past the pictures.

        Reply

        • Sammira says

          I tested these out and they were AMAZING! This recipe is simple but delicious and also pretty easy and trust me I am a pretty bad Baker but these went great for me my family loved them so cheerfully and holiday’y

          Reply

    • Norma Hall says

      Im beginning to think shortbread hates me I have tried 3 times and my dough kept falling apart I have no idea what im doing wrong any suggestions when I take it out of the fridge to roll kust falls apart I have some in the fridge right now

      Reply

    • Jan Simpson says

      Thank you
      Do you flour the board when rolling out dough

      Reply

      • Stephanie Cake says

        I do…

        Reply

  2. lea says

    We did this for Santa cookies last year. They were adorable, a hit with my toddler and delicious.

    Reply

  3. milica says

    I made these today and they were very easy and SO GOOD! They melt in your mouth…..you can’t just eat one!

    Reply

  4. Bev says

    So simple but so delicious. These are my favorite cookies. I make them every year for Christmas. But I also make them during the year without sprinkles.

    Reply

  5. Madeleine says

    What brand are those sprinkles?

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Madeline, I used Wilton Nonpareils Sprinkles. Enjoy!

      Reply

      • Nicole says

        How many dozen does this recipe make? I need 6 dozen for a cookie exchange. Thanks!

        Reply

        • Lidia Simic says

          Hi Nicole, You can make 20-25, depending on cut-out cookie cutter size. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and happy baking!

          Reply

  6. Tina says

    How much does one recipe
    make?
    .

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Tina, You can make 20-25, depending on cut-out cookie cutter size. Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday season!

      Reply

  7. Becca says

    Hello! Thank you for posting this recipe. I’d love to give it a try. How many cookies does this make?

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Becca, You can make 20-25, depending on cut-out cookie cutter size. Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday season!

      Reply

  8. Debbie Hamaker says

    I hope I did this recipe right before I did the needing the dough was very crumbly like a piecrust and then after I started neading it it got smoother and stuck together better is that right? Thanks

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Debbie, too much flour went in, it could get crumbly. Try kneading it more with your hands and see if you can’t soften it up. You can also try salvaging it by mixing up a bit more of the butter and adding it to your current dough. Hope that helps! Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!

      Reply

  9. Carole Blake says

    Can you re-use the dough scraps after rolling and cutting out the cookies?

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Carole, Yes you can re-use dough scraps if you like. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and happy baking!

      Reply

  10. Tanya Parrish says

    Hi can unsalted butter be used instead.

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Tanya, I personally use salted butter for most of my baking because I prefer the flavor. You can use your unsalted butter. Just add about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon extra salt to the dough to provide flavor. Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday season!

      Reply

  11. Tammy says

    How do you mix cold butter in, the chunks just keep flopping around in the bowl?

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Tammy, I use a stand mixer, so it works like magic. However, if you don’t have a stand mixer, you can slightly soften butter just enough to make it workable. Not too soft, though. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and happy baking!

  12. Bhavna says

    Hi. Thank you! I️ made them today. They were great! I️ want to save the dough, use it on Sunday. Do you suggest fridge or freezer

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Bhavna, Extra dough can be frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap completely airtight, defrost dough when ready to roll/cut. Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and happy baking!

      Reply

  13. Val says

    Can these be kneeded with a stand mixer?

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Val, I think it would work great with a stand mixer. Happy baking!

      Reply

  14. Jennifer Stingl says

    Hi, can I freeze these after they are made? I want to make them today for thanksgiving day. Thanks

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Jennifer, yes you can. They freeze well for about a month.

      Reply

  15. Lisa says

    Going to make some pre Christmas cookies for the kids tonight thank you for posting this recipe ?

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      You’re very welcome, Lisa! 🙂

      Reply

  16. Tracy says

    Could you use whole wheat flour?

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Tracy, I’d recommend just using all-purpose flour, not any variation of whole wheat.

      Reply

  17. Lil says

    Can we decorate these with frosting also

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Lil, Yes, you can decorate these with frosting, if you like. Would love to hear how it goes! Enjoy, and happy baking!

      Reply

  18. Amy Shute says

    Hi Lidia, thanks for posting the recipe. I was just wondering if you would be able to tell me the measurements in grams as I’m not too sure what is meant by a cup/half a cup? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi Amy, 1 cup or 226g butter,
      – ½ cup or 100g granulated sugar,
      – 2 ¼ cups or 288g all-purpose flour
      Hope that helps! Enjoy and have a wonderful holiday season!

      Reply

  19. Norma says

    I can’t get these cookies to work everytime I take out the dough it falls apart I have some in the fridge it always crumbles

    Reply

    • Dani says

      Make sure you knead it for awhile ?
      And don’t over add flour

      Reply

  20. Karen Robinson says

    I just made this for the first time because I wanted to get away from my traditional Crisco Christmas cookie recipe. I doubled it and let me tell you, it is hands down the best cookie I have ever made! I only had to bake them 8 minutes and they melt in your mouth! Thank you so much for this deliciousness!

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      You’re very welcome, Karen! 🙂 I’m very glad you like the recipe! 🙂

      Reply

  21. Anne says

    I found that these taste more like sugar cookies than shortbreads. Rolling cookies to 1/2 inch thick took approx 18-20 mins at the oven temperature suggested in recipe. I rolled them to 1/4 inch thick. Worked better.

    Reply

  22. NORosa says

    Hello. I’m making the mix a day before the actual cutting and baking. Do you recommend I freeze or refrigerate overnight?

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Hi NORosa, if make them ahead of time you can refrigerate the dough until ready to use, let it sit at room temp for about 15 minutes more or less to soften up a bit. Let me know how it goes. Have a wonderful Christmas.

      Reply

  23. Donna says

    I love this recipe!!! Thank you for sharing this with us

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      You’re very welcome, Donna! 🙂 I’m glad you like the recipe!

      Reply

  24. MommaofAandK14 says

    My friend, my daughter and myself loved these cookies so much especially once they were cut into Christmas shapes! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      You’re very welcome! 🙂 I’m glad you like the recipe!

      Reply

  25. Roxanne says

    I made them for Christmas , they turned out perfect. My first time!

    Reply

    • Lidia Simic says

      Thank you for such a nice comment, Roxanne! I’m glad you like the recipe! 🙂

      Reply

  26. M Mac says

    Can you use this with a cookie press ?

    Reply

    • Yummiest Food says

      Yes, you can. A great idea!

      Reply

  27. Leslie says

    I want to try these with my grandson.
    Can we use like the tube icing to decorate after cooking them?

    Reply

    • Yummiest Food says

      Yes, you can.

      Reply

  28. Suzanne says

    Can you frost these cookies with white chocolate?

    Reply

    • Yummiest Food says

      Yes, you can.

      Reply

      • Suzanne says

        Going to make snowman shapes and frost with white chocolate. The kids will love this. Thank you will let you know how it goes!

        Reply

  29. Jennifer says

    Hi! This recipe sounds great!
    Question- do you use parchment paper on the cookie sheets or not? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Yummiest Food says

      Yes, you can use parchment paper.

      Reply

  30. John says

    For all those w crumbly dough – try weighing the flour by weight instead of measuring by volume with cups. For each cup weigh 120g. So 2 & 1/4 cups = 270g. Solid recipe, love it.

    Reply

    • Donna says

      Worst cookie dough ever. I had to add a little milk to keep the dough from crumbling. Will not make again, plus they don’t make many cookies.

      Reply

  31. Andrea Rees says

    I tried this recipe this evening for the first time and used almond extract instead of vanilla; wow, really flavorful! I made a double recipe and refrigerated it, after making the batter into about 6 portions. I used a little bit ,without refrigerating it to see how it would work. The dough stuck to the rolling pin and was too soft. Later today, I will see how it works after refrigeration. It was fun to use the cookie cutters and use holiday sprinkles. I want to try decorating with icing,too. Thanks for a super recipe!!

    Reply

    • Yummiest Food says

      You’re most welcome, Andrea! 🙂

      Reply

  32. Michelle says

    Hello, at what point do you put the sprinkles on ?

    Reply

    • Yummiest Food says

      In the end.

      Reply

  33. Angeli M. says

    I made these cookies with my boys. They turned out so good! I absolutely loved that they are only four ingredients. GREAT RECIPE

    Reply

  34. DANITA says

    Do they spread or hold shape

    Reply

    • Yummiest Food says

      They hold the shape.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Christmas Shortbread Cookies – Recipe from Yummiest Food Cookbook (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making good shortbread cookies? ›

Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
  1. Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
  2. Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
  3. Add Flavor. ...
  4. Don't Overwork. ...
  5. Shape Dough. ...
  6. Chill Before Baking. ...
  7. Bake Until Golden. ...
  8. Add Finishing Touches.

When making shortbread What must you not do? ›

The key with shortbread is not to overhandle it. Make the dough exactly as instructed, but don't mess around making shapes or over rolling the dough - you will end up with delicious but tough biscuits. Stretching and pulling the dough activates the gluten in the flour, making chewy cookies and not crisp ones.

What is the difference between a shortbread cookie and a Scottish shortbread cookie? ›

So if you hear the term "Scottish shortbread," you might think it's a different version of the shortbread you're familiar with, right? Well ... actually, no. "Shortbread" is just Scottish shortbread; they're one and the same.

What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

Should you refrigerate shortbread dough before baking? ›

After shaping the cookies, don't rush to the oven! Instead, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so (overnight is OK, too). A short stay in the fridge will firm up the cookies and solidify the butter. This will help keep them from spreading too much.

What is the least popular Christmas cookie? ›

On the naughty list of cookies, Americans gave the lowest win records to anise cookies, which only won 29% of its matchups.

Who makes best Christmas cookies? ›

Christmas Cookies Gifts & Mail Order Cookies for You & Yours
  • Carlo's Bakery's Butter Cookie Box. ...
  • Elegant Desserts' Iced Sugar Cookie Christmas Gift Set. ...
  • Zola Bakes' Christmas Rainbow Cookies. ...
  • Baked in the Burg's Christmas Deep Dish Cookie Sampler. ...
  • Red Velvet NYC's Sugar Cookie Tree DIY Baking Kit.
Jan 11, 2024

What is America's favorite Christmas cookies? ›

Speaking of holiday baking, nearly half of the country has a favorite Christmas cookie. Among those who can make a single choice, frosted sugar cookies lead the list (32%), with gingerbread (12%) and chocolate chip (11%) rounding out the top three.

What is the best brand of butter for shortbread cookies? ›

Spend extra when it really counts: If you're making a recipe where butter really is the star (think shortbread or biscuits), splashing out for a package of Kerrygold or Vital Farms is worth the expense. The fine differences in the flavor are most impactful in these recipes.

What are the disadvantages of shortbread? ›

Sugar provides a fast source of energy. There are rarely any artificial additives. Cons: Shortbread is a weight watcher's nightmare because it is extremely high in saturated fat and calories. Saturated fat is the 'bad' fat which is linked to artery-clogging high cholesterol and heart disease.

What happens if you don't chill shortbread dough? ›

But in this shortbread cookie recipe, it really makes a difference. Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape. If you don't chill your shortbread dough, the cookies will spread as they bake.

What is shortbread called in Scotland? ›

Triangular wedges of shortbread became known as "petticoat tails", and this form of shortbread has become particularly associated with Mary, Queen of Scots. It has been suggested that a French term for the wedges of shortbread was petit* gâteaux or petites gatelles – little cakes, and this became "petticoat tails".

What do Americans call shortbread? ›

Shortbread isn't a bread, it's what we Americans call a cookie. It its homeland across the pond it's a biscuit. The short part of the name is because it's made with a dough rich in fat (preferably really good butter). This is called short dough.

Why is shortbread so expensive? ›

As shortbread was made with butter, sugar and flour, it would be both expensive and difficult to get hold of the ingredients, and so became synonymous with wealth, luxury and celebrations.

What happens if you add too much butter to shortbread cookies? ›

Butter is an emulsifier and it makes cookies tender. It also adds in the crispy-around-the-edges element. Adding too much butter can cause the cookies to be flat and greasy. Adding too little butter can cause the cookies to be tough and crumbly.

Should shortbread cookies be soft or hard? ›

Shortbread should always have a tender, melting texture, but be slightly crisp when you bite into it. It should not generally be damp or wet underneath. A classic shortbread recipe will also only have flour, butter and sugar as the ingredients (in a 3:2:1 ratio) and not egg, which could lead to excess moisture.

Why did my shortbread cookies come out hard? ›

These proportions make shortbread a lot more dense compared to cookies, which means you could easily end up with shortbread that's hard and crunchy rather than buttery and crumbly. Per Cooktop Cove, this can occur when the dough has either been overworked or not chilled for long enough.

How do you keep shortbread crust from sticking? ›

Shortbread Crust: Lightly butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, an 8 or 9 inch (20-23 cm) tart pan with a removable bottom.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Mr. See Jast

Last Updated:

Views: 5935

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Mr. See Jast

Birthday: 1999-07-30

Address: 8409 Megan Mountain, New Mathew, MT 44997-8193

Phone: +5023589614038

Job: Chief Executive

Hobby: Leather crafting, Flag Football, Candle making, Flying, Poi, Gunsmithing, Swimming

Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.