3 Easy and Delicious Holiday Shortbread Cookie Recipes

One of Susan's passions is cooking and creating new recipes for family and friends.

It Isn't Christmas Until I Make Shortbread Cookies!

To me, it is just not Christmas until I have made shortbread. My grandmother made shortbread every Christmas, and my first recipe is from her. I should add that she was from Paisley, Scotland, so this recipe is genuine shortbread.

Recipes on This Page

1. Authentic Scottish Shortbread
2. Shortbread Bars
3. Whipped shortbread

Cook and Prep Time (With Stand Mixer)

Recipe 1. Authentic Scottish Shortbread

This is my grandmother's recipe from Scotland. It's my favorite shortbread cookie recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of butter (at room temperature)
• 1 cup (packed) icing sugar
• 4 cups of flour

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 275˚F.
2. Beat and cream butter until fluffy.
3. Add icing sugar and flour. Mix with your fingers (make sure your hands are clean) until all is well blended.
4. Make into several balls and pat out on a floured countertop or wax paper.
5. With a rolling pin, roll out to about ½ “ thick.
6. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. You can also make the dough into a pie shape and place it into a pie pan. Score a design into the shortbread pie.
7. Bake in oven until set and very light brown. Every oven is different so time fluctuates. I just keep checking after about ten minutes.
8. Remove shortbread cookies with a spatula, and set onto a cooling rack.

Photo Guide

Using a Stand Mixer for Shortbread

This year, I decided to try this recipe using my stand mixer. It was so much easier than kneading with my hands, and with the time I saved, I was able to make some peanut butter banana cookies for the dogs.

Recipe 2. Shortbread Bars

The next recipe comes from an old friend, and these are very good!

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 pound of butter
• 3½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350˚F.
2. Blend 1 cup of sugar in blender for 30 seconds.
3. Add the sugar to softened butter and cream until fluffy.
4. Combine flour and rice flour, and beat into butter gradually.
5. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
6. Add up to ½ more flour if needed.
7. Press into a 15 x 9” cookie sheet.
8. Score into bars with a sharp knife. Prick surface with a fork up and down the dough.
9. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
10. Bake to a golden brown, which takes 30–40 minutes.
11. Cut along scored lines, cool and store in an airtight container. Makes 48 bars.

Recipe 3. Whipped Shortbread

Ingredients

• 1 pound of butter
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ cups icing sugar
• 1½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup corn starch

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 325˚F.
2. Beat butter until white.
3. Beat in all the following as you add it. Add sugar and cornstarch gradually. Add vanilla, and then add flour gradually.
4. Drop by teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12–18 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and cool the cookies on a cooling rack.
6. Makes 100 cookies.

© 2010 Susan Zutautas