Butter Cookies Shortbread Style

My neighbor handed me a tin of these last December, and I didn't expect much until I bit into one. The butter hit first, then the crumble, then the way it dissolved on my tongue without leaving any gumminess behind. I asked for the recipe that same afternoon. Now I keep a roll of this dough in my freezer year-round, because sometimes you just need a cookie that tastes like actual butter, not a science experiment.

I made a batch for my daughter's birthday party last spring, and instead of the chaos I expected, the kids sat quietly at the table, dunking them in milk and asking if there were more. One parent texted me later asking if I'd used a bakery. I hadn't, and that felt better than any compliment I've gotten in a while. These cookies don't need to be fancy to make people happy.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter (1 cup, softened): This is the star, so use good butter if you can. I leave mine on the counter for about an hour before I start so it creams easily without melting.
• Granulated sugar (3/4 cup): Just enough to sweeten without overpowering the butter. I've tried cutting it down, and the cookies lose their tenderness.
• Egg (1 large, room temperature): Cold eggs don't blend as smoothly. I set mine in a bowl of warm water for five minutes if I forget to pull it out early.
• Pure vanilla extract (2 teaspoons): The real stuff makes a difference here. Imitation vanilla leaves a chemical aftertaste that you'll notice in something this simple.
• All-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups): I spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag packs it down and makes the dough too stiff.
• Baking powder (1/2 teaspoon): Just a little lift. Too much and they puff up and lose that classic shortbread snap.
• Fine sea salt (1/2 teaspoon): Balances the sweetness and makes the butter flavor come forward. Don't skip it.

Instructions

Cream the butter and sugar:

Beat the softened butter and sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. It should feel light when you scrape the bowl, not greasy or dense.

Add the egg and vanilla:

Crack in the egg and pour in the vanilla, then beat until everything disappears into the batter. You'll see it go from streaky to smooth in about 30 seconds.

Whisk the dry ingredients:

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This helps distribute the leavening evenly so you don't get weird puffy spots.

Combine wet and dry:

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture gradually, mixing just until no dry streaks remain. The dough will look shaggy at first, then pull together into a soft mass.

Chill the dough:

Divide the dough in half, press each piece into a flat disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour. Cold dough rolls out cleanly and holds crisp edges when you cut shapes.

Preheat and prep:

Set your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. I reuse the same sheets between batches and just wipe off any crumbs.

Roll and cut:

On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk at a time to about 1/4-inch thick. Use cookie cutters to punch out shapes, then gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut again.

Arrange on sheets:

Place the cookies about an inch apart on the prepared sheets. They don't spread much, but giving them a little room keeps the edges from touching.

Bake until golden:

Slide the sheets into the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, watching for the edges to turn a light golden color. The centers will still look pale, and that's exactly right.

Cool in stages:

Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for 5 minutes to firm up, then move them to wire racks. If you try to move them too soon, they'll bend and crack.

Decorate (if you want):

Once the cookies are completely cool, spread on royal icing, drizzle glaze, or scatter sprinkles. Warm cookies will melt the icing into a sticky mess.

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I brought a tin of these to a potluck last summer, and by the time I turned around to grab one for myself, they were gone. Someone had stacked the empty tin neatly by the sink with a note that just said, Recipe? I wrote it out on a napkin and left it on the counter. A week later, three different people texted me photos of their own batches. That's when I knew this recipe had left my kitchen for good, in the best possible way.

How to Store and Freeze

I keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, though they rarely last that long. The dough freezes beautifully. I roll it into logs, wrap them tightly in plastic and foil, and stash them in the freezer for up to a month. When I want fresh cookies, I just slice and bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time.

Decorating Without the Stress

Royal icing looks impressive, but it's fussy and takes forever to dry. I usually just make a simple glaze with powdered sugar, milk, and a drop of vanilla, then dip the tops of the cookies and let them set on a rack. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll add a pinch of sanding sugar while the glaze is still wet. It catches the light and makes the cookies look bakery-level without the bakery-level effort.

Flavor Variations to Try

I've swapped out a quarter cup of the flour for cocoa powder to make chocolate butter cookies, and they turn out deeply rich without being too sweet. Almond extract in place of half the vanilla gives them a marzipan-like flavor that pairs perfectly with tea. Sometimes I'll add a teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest to the dough for a bright, unexpected note that keeps people guessing.

• For spiced cookies, add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients.
• Press a whole almond or candied cherry into the center of each cookie before baking.
• Brush the tops with a little beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar for a sparkly, crunchy finish.

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These cookies don't need a special occasion, but they make every occasion feel a little more special. Keep the dough on hand, and you'll always be 15 minutes away from something warm, buttery, and worth sharing.

Recipe FAQs

→ What gives these cookies their tender texture?

The use of softened unsalted butter combined with careful mixing produces a tender, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.

→ Can I decorate these cookies?

Yes, once cooled completely, decorate with royal icing, glaze, or sprinkles for a festive touch.

→ How should I store the dough if not baking immediately?

Wrap dough disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

→ Can this dough be made chocolate-flavored?

Replace 1/4 cup of flour with cocoa powder to add a rich chocolate flavor to the dough.

→ What is the best way to ensure even baking?

Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness and space cookies 1 inch apart on parchment-lined sheets for even heat distribution.