Halloween Shortbread Cookies
You’ll love how quick and easy these Halloween Shortbread Cookies are to make! Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies decorated with festive Halloween sprinkles — no mixer needed and ready in just 30 minutes! Perfect for parties, classroom treats, or a fun baking day with kids!
For more Halloween party recipes try my Halloween dirt cups, Halloween taco dip, and Halloween Rice Krispies treats next!
Easy Halloween Shortbread Cookies (No Mixer Needed!)
This is my go-to shortbread cookie when I want something quick, easy and delicious that can suit any holiday. Change up the sprinkle colors for the holiday or roll them out and cut out with floured cookie cutters.
You can see samples with the different sprinkles from this shortbread recipe and Easter shortbread too!
This is a terrific recipe to make with kids with easy and fun tasks like rolling the dough into balls and pressing down with a floured fork.
If you’re going to make an afternoon of it with the kids, be sure to check out these cute Halloween crafts for kids!
Ingredients
No fancy equipment needed for this recipe! You can mix it completely by hand. Below are the simple ingredients that you will need. You can find a full recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- All purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Powdered sugar
- Butter – while traditional shortbread is made with unsalted butter, either salted or unsalted will work in this recipe.
- Sprinkles/non pareils – use your favorite brand of halloween colors!
How to make Halloween Shortbread Cookies
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, cornstarch and shortbread.
Using clean hands, mix in the butter until a soft dough forms.
Roll into 1-inch balls. Place 1-1/2 to 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Press down each cookie dough ball with a lightly-floured fork.
Add halloween-coloured sprinkles.
Bake in 300°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The edges will be lightly browned.
Carefully transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Storage
Keep 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.
Freeze raw shortbread cookie dough balls between layers of parchment paper in a 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.
Halloween Shortbread Cookies
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
You’ll love how quick and easy these Halloween Shortbread cookies are to make! Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies decorated with festive Halloween sprinkles — no mixer needed and ready in just 30 minutes! Perfect for parties, classroom treats, or a fun baking day with kids!
Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter
Sanding sugar in Halloween colors
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
Storage: Keep 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.
Freezing: Raw shortbread cookie dough balls may be frozen between layers of parchment paper in a 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
