Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe | Buttery, Sweet & Festive
I just finished baking a batch of these Christmas shortbread cookies recipe, and wow — the house smells like holiday magic. After I cooled a few on the rack and nibbled one (or two!), I knew I had to share it with you.
They’re buttery, tender, and melt in your mouth — the kind of cookie I’ll make every December. I baked them while listening to carols, thinking of friends and festive gatherings.
Let me walk you through it all so you can enjoy them too — or you can also try this Easy Gingerbread Man Recipe for another festive treat.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need (and why each item matters):
- 225 g softened butter — room temperature butter creams smoothly and gives that rich, buttery flavor.
- 110 g caster sugar — fine sugar blends well and doesn’t make the dough gritty.
- 225 g plain flour (all-purpose) — the structure of the cookie.
- 110 g cornflour (cornstarch) — helps make the texture extra delicate and melt-in-the-mouth.
- A pinch of sea salt — balances the sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) & festive sprinkles — for dusting or decorating after baking.
Note: this makes several cookies (about 24–36, depending on size and thickness).
Variations
Here are some ways to tweak or adapt this recipe:
- Dairy-free: Use a high-quality vegan butter substitute that’s firm (not too soft).
- Sugar-free / low sugar: Replace caster sugar with a granular erythritol blend suitable for baking, but test one small batch first.
- Flavor add-ins: Add a pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or orange zest to give a seasonal twist.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (check that it works one-to-one) instead of plain flour + cornflour.
- Dip or drizzle: After cooling, dip half the cookie in melted dark chocolate or drizzle with white chocolate and sprinkle with crushed nuts — or serve them alongside these Cranberry Brie Bites Recipe for a perfect holiday pairing.
Cooking Time
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 15–20 minutes
- Total Time: ~30–35 minutes (including chilling)
Equipment You Need
- Mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl) — to cream butter and sugar.
- Mixer (hand mixer or stand mixer) — speeds up creaming and reduces overmixing.
- Baking sheets / trays lined with parchment — to bake cookies evenly.
- Cookie cutters — to shape festive designs like stars, trees, bells.
- Rolling pin — to roll out dough to consistent thickness.
- Wire cooling rack — lets cookies cool evenly and avoid sogginess.
How to Make Christmas Shortbread Cookies
Cream butter and sugar
First, beat the softened butter with caster sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy — about 1 to 2 minutes. This step traps air and gives the cookies a more delicate crumb.
Add flours
Sift the plain flour and cornflour together. Then add them gradually (in 3–4 portions) into the butter mixture, stirring gently until a soft dough forms. Don’t overwork it.
Chill the dough
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This firms it, makes it easier to roll, and helps the cookies hold shape while baking.
Roll and cut shapes
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to just under 6 mm (¼ inch) thickness. Use cookie cutters to stamp out your desired shapes and place them onto baking trays.
Bake
Preheat your oven to 150 °C (≈ 300 °F) or 130 °C in fan mode. Bake until the edges are just becoming pale golden — typically 15–20 minutes depending on size.
Cool & decorate
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar or add sprinkles (or optional icing) as your finishing touch.
Additional Tips for Making this Recipe Better
Here are things I’ve learned after baking these cookies a few times:
- Chill longer if your kitchen is warm — I sometimes leave the dough 45 minutes so it’s easier to handle.
- Don’t roll too thin — I aim for just under 6 mm so cookies hold shape without burning.
- Use sharp cookie cutters — I get cleaner edges when cutters are sharp.
- Rotate your trays mid-bake — I turn them halfway so all cookies bake evenly.
- Handle gently while warm — I wait until cookies are firm before decorating, since warm ones break easily.
How to Serve Christmas Shortbread Cookies
When serving, arrange them on a festive platter or tiered cake stand. I often dust extra icing sugar right before serving so they look freshly snow-dusted. For a pop of color, I scatter bright red cranberries or fresh mint sprigs around.
If giving as gifts, I stack them in parchment-lined boxes layered with tissue paper and tie with ribbon.
Nutritional Information
Here’s a rough idea of what each cookie contains (based on recipe yield):
- Calories: ~94 kcal per cookie
- Protein: ~1 g
- Carbohydrates: ~11 g
- Fat: ~5 g
Make Ahead and Storage
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay fresh for up to two weeks.
Freezing
You can freeze your shortbread for up to three months. Freeze them first on a tray (open freeze) so they stay flat, then transfer to containers or freezer bags.
Reheating / Restoring
To refresh slightly stale cookies, pop them in a warm (low) oven — about 120 °C for 3–5 minutes — just to warm them through (don’t brown). Let them cool again before serving.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Here are a few reasons I keep returning to this shortbread:
- It’s so simple — just a few pantry ingredients, little fuss, and the dough is forgiving.
- The taste is outstanding — buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, crumbly but not dry.
- It’s versatile — you can decorate or flavor it to your liking (citrus zest, spices, gluten-free, etc.).
- Perfect as a gift — these cookies travel well and feel homemade and thoughtful.
- Kid-friendly and fun to decorate together — rolling and cutting shapes is a holiday joy.
Christmas Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- First, beat the softened butter with caster sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy — about 1 to 2 minutes. This step traps air and gives the cookies a more delicate crumb.
- Sift the plain flour and cornflour together. Then add them gradually (in 3–4 portions) into the butter mixture, stirring gently until a soft dough forms. Don’t overwork it.
- Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This firms it, makes it easier to roll, and helps the cookies hold shape while baking.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to just under 6 mm (¼ inch) thickness. Use cookie cutters to stamp out your desired shapes and place them onto baking trays.
- Preheat your oven to 150 °C (≈ 300 °F) or 130 °C in fan mode. Bake until the edges are just becoming pale golden — typically 15–20 minutes depending on size.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar or add sprinkles (or optional icing) as your finishing touch.
Notes
- Chill longer if your kitchen is warm — I sometimes leave the dough 45 minutes so it’s easier to handle.
- Don’t roll too thin — I aim for just under 6 mm so cookies hold shape without burning.
- Use sharp cookie cutters — I get cleaner edges when cutters are sharp.
- Rotate your trays mid-bake — I turn them halfway so all cookies bake evenly.
- Handle gently while warm — I wait until cookies are firm before decorating, since warm ones break easily.
