Our Favorite Shortbread Cookies

By MyRecipes
Updated December 11, 2008
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Credit: Oxmoor House

With clever twists and fresh interpretations, our shortbread cookie recipes take the classic treat in fun new flavor directions. We have plenty of traditional choices here, too.

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Sesamillionaire’s Shortbread

Credit: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Robby Melvin

Sesamillionaire’s Shortbread Recipe

A toasty twist on the traditional Millionaire’s Shortbread, these decadent layered cookie bars feature toasted sesame seeds in the shortbread, a luscious tahini caramel, and more sesame seeds sprinkled over top for good measure. 

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Grapefruit-Campari Bars with Shortbread Crust

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Grapefruit-Campari Bars with Shortbread Crust Recipe

This grown-up treat embraces the bitterness in both grapefruit and Campari, balancing the flavor with a rich, buttery shortbread crust.

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The Best Shortbread Cookie Recipes

Credit: Whitney Ott; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Shortbread cookies make tasty treats at Christmastime (or any other time of year!). We've pulled together our easiest, yummiest, and prettiest shortbread cookie recipes for you to enjoy—all in one handy place.

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Salted Chocolate-Topped Shortbread

Credit: Greg DuPree

Salted Chocolate-Topped Shortbread Recipe

These whole-wheat cookies have the expected “short” texture of classic shortbread, plus an irresistible buttery flavor. Cultured butter is worth seeking out here; the richer flavor really comes through in a cookie like this where the butter is front and center. You can also use regular unsalted butter for a still delicious but slightly less complex flavor.

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Shortbread Starter

Credit: Ryan Moriarty; Styling: JK Denim

Shortbread Starter Recipe

Once you master JK's easy, 5-ingredient shortbread dough, you're well on your way to creating and decorating incredible cookie characters.

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Butter Shortbread

Credit: Leigh Beisch; Styling: Dan Becker

Butter Shortbread Recipe

The rich butter flavor and crumbly texture of this cookie makes it a staple of holiday baking, plus you can make it up to five days ahead of time.

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Ginger Shortbread Cookies with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Ginger Shortbread Cookies with Lemon-Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Leap for Spring with 6-ingredient, Ginger Shortbread Cookies. Look for minced crystallized ginger at your local grocery on the bottled spice aisle.

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Cranberry Shortbread Bars

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Cranberry Shortbread Bars Recipe

Freeze the shortbread dough, and then grate it in a food processor to get the most tender crust.

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Key Lime-Shortbread Icebox Cake

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Blakeslee Giles

Key Lime-Shortbread Icebox Cake Recipe

Layers upon layers of fresh key lime, luscious cream cheese, and shortbread cookies make for a delicious no-bake cake with a show-stopping presentation. A thin layer of pistachios adds a crunch to each creamy, bright bite. The taste is light and sweet, making it the perfect ending to a large holiday meal. If you can't find Key limes to juice, try Nellie & Joe's brand. 

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Lavender-Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Credit: Whitney Ott; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Lavender-Rosemary Shortbread Cookies Recipe

These delicate, crispy shortbread cookies are incredibly impressive given how easy they are to make. With just the right balance of gentle herbaceous, floral flavor and saltiness, these not-too-sweet shortbread cookies are the perfect treat to pair with anything from coffee and tea to lemonade or rosé. While both have fairly potent flavors, when applied with an expert touch (i.e. knowing restraint), lavender and rosemary make an amazing team—delivering sophisticated personality to whatever they touch. Culinary lavender buds are readily available in many nationwide supermarkets, but you can also order them online if you have trouble finding them locally. One key baker's tip to remember when it comes to making shortbread, definitely don’t skip out on chilling your dough before baking. This resting period helps the dough relax (resulting in a more tender, delicate cookie) and helps the cookies keep their shape in the oven. If you plan to make these lavender shortbread cookies for a special occasion (or you just love them so much you want to keep them around), you can easily whip up a double or triple batch of dough in advance and keep the unbaked logs frozen; when you’re ready for cookies, just pop the logs out of the freezer, then slice and bake. If you wanted to dress them up even further, a simple lemon glaze would be a delightful addition drizzled over the baked and cooled lavender-rosemary shortbread. 

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Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread

Credit: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller

Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread Recipe

Shortbread never tasted so good thanks to this decadent chocolate drizzle!

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Mocha-Chocolate Shortbread

Mocha-Chocolate Shortbread Recipe

Chocolate-covered shortbread is the yummy end to a wonderful meal. You're likely to have all of the ingredients for this recipe stocked in the pantry.

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Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Wafers

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Cranberry-Pecan Cheese Wafers Recipe

Shortbread can be sweet and savory with these cheese wafers.

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Vanilla Bean Shortbread

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Cindy Barr

Vanilla Bean Shortbread Recipe

Use pantry staples and a flavorful vanilla bean to create these delicate cookies. Make them up to five days in advance, and store in an airtight container.

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Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Fingers

These cookies have a double dose of chocolate and are the perfect pickup party bites. And at only 65 cents per serving, you can make enough for your guests and your secret sweet stash (we promise not to tell).

Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Fingers

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Brown Sugar Shortbread

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr, Jan Gautro, Leigh Ann Ross

An unusually thick shortbread with a hint of caramel flavor from the brown sugar used in the dough, these rich cookies are going to disappear in a flash. Be sure to tuck some away in the freezer to pull out for a quick holiday dessert or snack.

Recipe: Brown Sugar Shortbread

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Orange Sugar Cookies With Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting

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Orange Sugar Cookies With Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Orange zest lends a delicate floral, citrus flavor to this delightfully crisp and light shortbread cookies. Finished with a vibrant orange and cream cheese frosting, they’re the perfect treat to deliver a taste of sunshine on a chilly winter day.

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Scottish Shortbread

Credit: James Carrier

Scottish Shortbread Recipe

Tired of traditional Christmas cookies like sugar cookies and gingerbread?  This super simple Scottish shortbread is the perfect cookie to enjoy with family or give as as a gift.

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Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread Recipe

Dark brown sugar adds rich caramel notes to these shortbread cookies; turbinado sugar provides a crunch.

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Dark Chocolate-Espresso Shortbread Cookies

Dark Chocolate-Espresso Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Edges tipped with unsweetened chocolate and white chocolate enhance the coffee flavor in these delightful cookies.

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Lemon-Chamomile Shortbread

Credit: Susie Cushner

Lemon-Chamomile Shortbread Recipe

If you love lemon-chamomile tea, this shortbread cookie is for you.

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Snowflake Shortbread

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Snowflake Shortbread Recipe

Top with sparkling sugar so these shortbread cookies glisten like snowflakes at your next holiday party.

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Mexican Spiced Shortbread Cookies

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke

Mexican Spiced Shortbread Cookies Recipe

If you're a fan of Mexican Hot Chocolate, you will love the chile notes in these rich shortbread cookies.

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Pecan Cookies

Credit: Romulo Yanes; Styling: Sarah Smart

Pecan Cookies Recipe

Save time during the holiday season with make-ahead cookies. Make the cookie dough up to a month in advance, wrap it tightly, and freeze.

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Maple-Walnut Shortbread

Credit: Evan Sklar

A twist on the traditional, these cookies are flavored with maple syrup and strewn with walnuts that toast to a nutty-rich flavor as the shortbread bakes. Instead of worrying about scoring and shaping the dough, the shortbread bakes in a single layer and is cut after cooking.

Recipe: Maple-Walnut Shortbread

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Chocolate-Dipped Hazelnut Shortbread Hearts

Credit: Kate Sears; Styling: Toni Brogen

Instead of the traditional triangle or square shapes, this easy shortbread dough is rolled and cut into heart shapes and then dipped in chocolate and nuts. It also looks spectacular cut into stars or trees with edges dipped in white chocolate and rolled in nuts or sprinkles.

Recipe: Chocolate-Dipped Hazelnut Shortbread Hearts

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Raspberry Shortbread Sandwiches

Credit: James Carrier

This variation, reminiscent of a Linzer torte, is a beautiful addition to any holiday cookie tray. The ingredient list is short, and the process is simple. Make the cookies in advance and freeze without the jam. Assemble just before serving.

Recipe: Raspberry Shortbread Sandwiches

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Cheddar Shortbread

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Cheddar Shortbread Recipe

Who says shortbread has to be sweet? Try this savory shortbread and you'll be seeing stars—cheddar stars.

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Chai Shortbread

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

The subtle spices of Indian chai tea flavor these small crispy shortbread rounds. Serve them with hot chocolate or for a light dessert. Really love the flavor of chai? Consider doubling the spices for a bolder tasting cookie.

Recipe: Chai Shortbread

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Espresso Shortbread Cookies

Credit: David Prince

Espresso Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Cacao nibs are bits of roasted cacao beans, the primary raw ingredient used to make chocolate. Look for them in specialty or gourmet grocery stores.

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Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Credit: Oxmoor House

Rosemary Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Fresh rosemary adds a fragrant quality to these delicate cookies. And because the herb traditionally represents remembrance, a batch of these treats is ideal as a thank-you.

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Pecan-Toffee Shortbread

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Pecan-Toffee Shortbread Recipe

These cookies make a great food gift for pecan lovers.

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Savory Spiced Shortbreads

Credit: Annabelle Breakey

World travelers and adventurous eaters will appreciate the sweet and spicy curry flavor that tints these shortbreads and takes the taste buds on an Oriental Express-style adventure.

Recipe: Savory Spiced Shortbreads

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Butter-Mint Shortbread

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Butter-Mint Shortbread Recipe

A dash of mint extract gives these buttery shortbread cookies an extra splash of flavor. Choose peppermint or spearmint extract to give them the flavor twist you prefer; then serve them with hot mint tea or a tall glass of sweet tea and a slice of fresh lemon.

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