Rich Buttery Shortbread Cookies (Printable Version)

Crisp, tender butter shortbread with vanilla, ideal for decorating with icing or sprinkles.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg, room temperature
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Decoration (optional)

08 - Royal icing or glaze, as desired
09 - Sprinkles or sanding sugar

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
02 - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until incorporated to avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide the dough in half, shape into disks, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disk to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
08 - Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges turn lightly golden.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
11 - Once fully cooled, decorate cookies as desired with royal icing and sprinkles.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They bake in minutes and taste like you spent hours in a French pâtisserie.
  • The dough forgives mistakes and keeps in the fridge for days, so you can have fresh cookies anytime the craving strikes.
  • Perfect canvas for decorating—kids and adults alike lose track of time with icing and sprinkles.
02 -
  • Don't skip the chilling step—warm dough spreads too much and bakes unevenly, resulting in thin, crispy cookies instead of tender ones.
  • The magic happens in those last 2 minutes of baking; golden edges mean the cookies are done, even if the centers look slightly underdone.
03 -
  • Room-temperature ingredients mix more smoothly and create a better texture than cold ones straight from the fridge.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the dough longer than 1 hour—cold dough is your friend for achieving crisp, uniform edges.
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