Shortbread Cookies
Easy cut out shortbread cookies made with just 5 ingredients! Perfect cut out Christmas cookie. Roll in sprinkles, or spread with frosting!
Servings: 16 cookies
Calories: 92kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon (135 g) all purpose flour spooned and leveled
Instructions
- Make shortbread dough. In a bowl of stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment (or you can use a hand mixer), on medium speed cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add vanilla. Add in vanilla and beat to combine.
- Add flour and salt. Add flour and salt, and beat on low speed until the dough comes together.
- Chill the cookie dough. Dump your dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes before rolling out and cutting.
- Preheat oven and prepare pan. Position a rack in the center of your oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut out cookies. On a lightly floured surface, with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out dough to ½” thick using a rolling pin. Be sure to rotate the dough after every few rolls, to ensure the dough isn’t sticking. If the dough cracks, simply press it back together. Using a cookie cutter of choice, cut out your cookies. Press scraps back together and re-roll (if dough is getting to warm or sticky, pop back into the fridge). Keep in mind the more your re-roll the scraps the dough will get tougher.
- Bake cookies. Place cookies onto baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for about 12-15 minutes.
Notes
- Make ahead/Storage: Make dough and store in the fridge for up to a week. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
- Freeze: Freeze cooled cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container or ziploc bag. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
- If cookies are getting too soft while rolling and cutting, pop back in the fridge for a few minutes to firm up.
- Salted butter: Omit added salt. Keep in mind cookies may spread a bit more.
- Use powdered sugar for a softer cookie.
- Depending on cookie cutter size, cookie yield may vary.
- Use vegan buttery sticks for a vegan cookie alternative.
- Add sprinkles before baking, or decorate with frosting once cooled for a festive Christmas cookie!
Nutrition
Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 11mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.4mg