Our Favorite Shortbread Cookies

By MyRecipes
December 11, 2008
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

Photo: 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

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

Photo: 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

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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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.

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Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Time Inc. Video Studios
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

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

Photo: 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

Photo: Susie Cushner
Lemon-Chamomile Shortbread Recipe

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

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Snowflake Shortbread

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

Photo: 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

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

Photo: 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

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

Oxmoor House
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

Photo: 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

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

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

Photo: 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

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

Oxmoor House
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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Chocolate-Cherry Sugar-Crusted Shortbread

Oxmoor House
Chocolate-Cherry Sugar-Crusted Shortbread Recipe
These bite-sized treats are a perfect holiday food gift. Pack in a decorative mug or basket.

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Raspberry Shortbread

Raspberry Shortbread Recipe
Almond extract and raspberry jam give this classic shortbread cookie a rich upgrade.
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