Description

Take a bite into this melt-in-your-mouth Grandma’s Shortbread recipe, that has only four ingredients and no chilling required. An easy buttery shortbread recipe for your holiday Christmas baking tray! These really are the best old-fashioned shortbread cookies, just like your grandma made.

Ingredients

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cup butter

Sanding sugar in holiday colors

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Sift 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.
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.

Notes

Storing shortbread cookies

Store shortbread in an airtight container for 7 to 10 days. Using parchment paper to separate the shortbread cookies layers is a good thing to do for easy serving.

Can you freeze shortbread cookies?

Yes you can! Cooled shortbread cookies may be frozen between layers or parchment paper in a freezer-safe container for 2 to 3 months.

Thaw at room temperature or the fridge before serving.

Yes you can! Place the unbaked cookie dough balls on parchment lined baking sheets. Place the baking sheet in the freezer to flash freeze shortbread cookie dough balls until they are frozen.

Place frozen cookie dough balls in zippered freezer bag or freezer-safe container for 2 to 3 months.

Thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to use. Place thawed cookie dough balls on cookie sheet and press down with a fork, adding the sanding sugar and bake.

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