Take a bite into these melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies! Grandma's Shortbread recipe has only four ingredients and no chilling required. An easy recipe for your holiday Christmas baking tray!
These tender shortbread cookies are well-loved in our household. Sprinkled with sanding sugar, they take on a festive appearance the minute they come out of the oven.
These are sturdy enough that you could package them up in a pretty holiday box for gift-giving.
ingredients
- butter - since butter is one of the main ingredients in this recipe, use the best quality that you can find for best results. Butter should be softened at room temperature.
- powdered sugar
- all-purpose flour
- cornstarch - be sure to check the best before date!
- Christmas coloured sanding sugar or sprinkles
step-by-step instructions
Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
The secret to the best texture in these shortbread cookies is to make sure that your hands are not too warm. The warmer they are and the more the you handle the dough, the softer the dough will be. This will change the texture and cause the cookies to spread.
Work quickly and with cool hands! This is such an easy recipe and you will love the simplicity and lovely texture of these cookies.
Start by sifting together all-purpose flour, cornstarch and powdered sugar. If you don't have a sifter, place the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and give it a really good whisk or mix with wooden spoon.
Using a wooden spoon, or with clean hands, blend in the butter until a soft dough forms. Do not overwork the dough. As soon as the dough forms, shape it into a ball.
I like to divide the dough into four equal portions and know that I am getting six cookies out of each section for a total of 24 cookies.
Shape dough into one inch balls and place a few inches apart on baking sheet. They will spread a little as you flatten them with a fork.
Press down lightly on each cookie with a floured fork. Sprinkle with sanding sugar or sprinkles. I have really been enjoying Ann Clark's sanding sugar. It is very light and has a beautiful sparkle.
Bake in 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. I took my cookies out in 17 minutes and let them sit on the cookie sheet for two minutes before transferring to a cooling rack and that was perfect.
storage instructions
Store shortbread in airtight container for up to four weeks.
Shortbread may be frozen between layers or parchment paper in a freezer safe container. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Don't forget to pin this recipe to your Christmas Baking board!
Grandma's Shortbread
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24
Description
Take a bite into these melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies! Grandma's Shortbread recipe has only four ingredients and no chilling required. An easy recipe for your holiday Christmas baking tray!
Ingredients
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup powdered sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup butter, softened at room temperature
Sanding sugar or sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together cornstarch, powdered sugar and all-purpose flour.
- Use a wooden spoon, or clean hands to blend in butter until a soft dough forms.
- Divide dough into four equal portions. Shape dough into 1-inch balls.
- Place rolled balls on cookie sheets, 1 and ½ inches apart. Press down lightly with a floured fork.
- Sprinkle with sanding sugar or sprinkles
- Bake in 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until edges are lightly browned.
- Transfer to cooling rack.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Canada Cornstarch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 46 mg
- Fat: 5.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 8.9 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 0.6 g
- Cholesterol: 15.3 mg
Keywords: Shortbread Cookies
Karen Walter
you didn't mention- cookie sheet UNgreased? Also, when I've made shortbread cookies, they come out a tan color, not white like yours. How come? Pretty much the same ingredients except regular sugar instead of powdered sugar.
Sandra
Hi Karen, Shorbread cookies tend to darken the longer that they bake. I believe that is what you're referring to? I use a parchment-lined cookie sheet for this recipe. Thanks so much for stopping by! Sandra
Cathy
I just do mine on an ungreased or unlined cookie sheet (stainless steel). I always check them near the last 5 mins or so because as soon as I start to see light browning around the edges I take them out and they are always perfect. Also I have never heard of anyone using anything but icing sugar.
Kathleen
I believe your cookies come out darker because you used granulated sugar, not confectioners sugar.
Sandra Flegg
I use confectioners/powdered sugar as shown in the ingredients photo. The red/green sugar is decorative sanding sugar. I'm not sure what you're reffering to as them being darker. Thanks for stopping by 🙂 Sandra
J
Can roll the dough out and use cookie cutters on it?
Sandra Flegg
yes you can!
Erica
Could use a stand mixer for these?
Sandra
yes! A stand mixer is great for these cookies! Sandra
Cathy
I find that the stand mixer works better because the ingredients get mixed better.
SuAnne
When I was a kid a friend of my mom’s would sandwich these between a pastel colored frosting. She called them Melting Moments. They were so tender and special. Do you happen to know what the frosting between the wafers might have been?
★★★★★
Sandra
I'm not sure about those cookies, but I will leave the comment on this post and maybe someone will see it and remember the cookies 🙂 Thanks for stopping by! Sandra
Cindy
Can u use a cookie press for this recipe or is the dough too thick?
Sandra Flegg
I think it actually might be too soft for a cookie press. Thanks, Sandra
Cathy
I use basically the same recipe the only difference is I use 1 cup butter instead of 3/4 cup. That is what my Grandmother taught me and I have never changed because everybody that tastes my shortbread says they have tried but can't make them that they taste as buttery as mine.