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Home / Cookies

Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

These Shortbread Cookies are deliciously crisp and buttery and are great for Christmas and holiday baking!

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

02/28/2025
4.61 from 23 votes
Jump to Recipe
Serves: 24 cookies
Prep: 20 minutes mins
Cook: 20 minutes mins

A cup of coffee on a table, with Cookie and Shortbread

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This recipe for Vanilla Shortbread Cookies makes a sweet, buttery, piped Spritz cookie with beautifully crisp edges that can’t be beaten.

A close up of a plate of food and a cup of coffee, with Cookie and Butter

Do you remember those blue tins filled with buttery, sweet cookies that would pop up in stores around the holidays? My grandmother would always buy them, and have them out for us when we visited.

I LOVED those cookies.  These cookies are reminiscent of those blue tinned cookies we’d have every Christmas and I hope they become a tradition for you.

Why This Recipe Works

  • The dough is easily made using just six simple ingredients. 
  • The softened butter and the addition of cornstarch give these cookies a light, buttery crispness.
  • The piped dough makes these cookies as beautiful as they are delicious.

Homemade cookies are perfect to give as edible gifts! I make my own tins to give as gifts every year with these cookies, my Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies, and my Classic Peanut Butter Cookies.  They’re always a big hit!

Butter Is the Key

The key to this recipe is good quality butter.  If you can find it, try to find European Style butter.  It has a higher milk fat content than ordinary butter.

The essence of these cookies is the crisp, buttery indulgence that comes from the sweet cream flavor you get with good quality butter.

Make sure the butter is softened before starting.  Softened butter will ensure the buttercreams well with the sugar.

Alternatives to Piping

If you don’t have the piping bag, you can also use a cookie press instead.

This dough can also easily be refrigerated and rolled to make cut out cookies.  Just refrigerate the dough overnight and roll it out.

How to make Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

Add the butter and sugar together in a bowl.

Butter added to a bowl with sugar.Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Then beat in the vanilla.The butter and sugar beat to a fluffy texture

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, and salt.The flour in a glass mixing bowl

Add the flour mixture to the butter.The flour added to the butter mixture

Mix until blended and soft.The dough mixed in a bowl

Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a 2D piping tip.A 2D piping tip

For the piped cookies, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  To keep the paper from shifting.  Put a bit of the dough under the paper in all four corners of the cookie sheet and press it down flat.A bit of dough in the corner of the pan with the baking paper being placed over it.

Pipe the cookies onto the cookie sheet (For a Thicker Cookie that will hold its shape more than mine did, chill the unbaked cookies for 20 minutes before baking).The dough piped onto the cookie sheet

Bake for 20 minutes. Let them cool completely (on the tray is fine) before serving.

A cup of coffee on a table, with Cookie and Shortbread

Other Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

  • Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
  • Homemade Golden Oreos
  • The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
  • Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

FAQs

Can shortbread cookies be frozen? Yes, shortbread cookies freeze beautifully. Place in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months.

Can shortbread cookies be made ahead? Yes, shortbread cookies actually taste best cooled. Let them cool for a couple of hours before storing.

How do you store shortbread cookies? Let the cookies cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

? Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

A cup of coffee on a table, with Cookie and Shortbread

Recipe

Vanilla Shortbread Cookies

These Shortbread Cookies are deliciously crisp and buttery and are great for Christmas and holiday baking!
4.61 from 23 votes
Print
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 40 minutes mins
Serves 24 cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (at room temperature)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325F/165C and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Beat in the vanilla extract.
  • In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, and salt and add it to the butter, mixing until blended and soft.
  • Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a 2D piping tip. Pipe the cookies about 1 1/4 inches across onto the prepared cookie sheets leaving about 2 inches between them.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the cookies just begin to brown lightly on the edges. Cool the cookies on the trays before storing in an airtight container.
  • The cookies will keep up to a week.

Tips

Shortbread dough is a thick, drier dough. If the dough doesn’t come together, or the dough is too thick to pipe (it shouldn’t be super easy to pipe) add a tablespoon or two of milk to loosen.
For a Thicker Cookie that will hold it’s shape more than mine, chill the unbaked cookies for 20 minutes before baking.
The key to this recipe is good quality butter.  If you can find it, try to find European Style butter.  It has a higher milk fat content than ordinary butter.
The essence of these cookies is the crisp, buttery indulgence that comes from the sweet cream flavor you get with good quality butter. 
Make sure the butter is softened before starting.  Softened butter will ensure the butter creams well with the sugar.
Alternatives to Piping
If you don’t have the piping bag, you can also use a cookie press instead.
This dough can also easily be refrigerated and rolled to make cut out cookies.  Just refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes and roll it out.
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 126 | Carbohydrates: 13g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 116mg | Potassium: 10mg | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Created by Erren Hart
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Update Notes: This post was originally published on Oct 22, 2014, but was updated with step by step instructions, new photos, tips, and FAQs Oct of 2018

4.61 from 23 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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27 responses

  1. Karin Avatar
    Karin
    12/05/2017

    I tried this recipe the other day and love the taste. I used a cookie press though and they still came out great ☺. They were thin but we liked them like that and we thought we would try some nutella or something inbetween 2 of them next time.

    Reply
  2. Rochelle Olson Avatar
    Rochelle Olson
    11/29/2017

    Do I chill in the refrigerator or can I use the freezer?

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      11/29/2017

      It is best to chill dough in the refrigerator for the recommended amount of time. However, if you are in a rush, placing the dough in the freezer for a quarter of the recommended refrigerator time will work too.

      Reply
  3. Liezl Avatar
    Liezl
    02/15/2017

    So pretty and delicious! Thank you!

    Reply
  4. Aishah Avatar
    Aishah
    12/16/2015

    This cookie is beautiful as well as delicious. Made mine at 12:30am! Inspired! Thank you!

    Reply
  5. Diana Avatar
    Diana
    05/31/2015

    Erren Just Pinning great ideas tonight! Saw this cookie recipe and thought it might make a “wonderful” crispy lemon cookie. Refreshing thought going into summer here in the USA, would be awesome with an iced latte!

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      06/14/2015

      Hi Diana, sounds wonderful! Please let me know if you try it!

      Reply
  6. Stephanie H. Avatar
    Stephanie H.
    01/06/2015

    Do you think these would work in a cookie press? They sound delicious.

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      01/23/2015

      Hi, So sorry for the late reply. I haven’t been well for some time and the app on my phone doesn’t allow me to reply to comments. I’ve never used a cookie press, but from what I’ve seen of them, I’d imagine it would work. Let me know if you tried it and how they came out!

      Reply
  7. Pamela Avatar
    Pamela
    11/19/2014

    Tried them today…they look beautiful. I was surprised that there are no eggs in the recipe. loved them with my tea. Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Joana Avatar
    Joana
    10/30/2014

    Wonderful recipe, Erren! 🙂

    Reply
  9. cassieskitchennyc Avatar
    cassieskitchennyc
    10/24/2014

    These are beautiful! And they are so simple, I have to add these to my holiday cookie lineup! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      10/24/2014

      Thanks so much! I’m so glad you like them! 🙂

      Reply
  10. gonnawantseconds Avatar
    gonnawantseconds
    10/23/2014

    Hey Erren! Love your blog 😉 These cookies are so beautiful and delicious! Just pinned!!!

    Reply
    1. Erren Avatar
      Erren
      10/24/2014

      Thanks so much! I love your blog as well! Thanks for the share! 🙂

      Reply
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