Butter Cookies Shortbread Style (Printer Version)

Buttery shortbread-style treats with a delicate crispness, ideal for sweet decorations and sharing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 large egg, room temperature
04 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Decoration (optional)

08 - Royal icing or glaze, as desired
09 - Sprinkles or sanding sugar

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
02 - Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until fully combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined; avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide the dough in half, shape each into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disk at a time to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
08 - Place the cut cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
09 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges turn just golden brown.
10 - Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
11 - Once fully cooled, decorate with royal icing and sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The dough is forgiving and doesn't spread into weird puddles in the oven.
  • You can taste the butter in every bite, not just sugar and air.
  • They hold their shape beautifully, so decorating actually feels worth the effort.
  • The texture is somehow both crisp and tender without being dry.
02 -
  • If you skip chilling the dough, the cookies will spread thin and lose their shape in the oven.
  • Overmixing after you add the flour makes the cookies tough and dense instead of tender.
  • Don't bake them until they're brown all over, they'll keep cooking on the hot pan and turn hard.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when flouring your work surface, too much and the dough will dry out and crack at the edges.
  • If the dough gets too soft while you're rolling, slide the whole sheet into the fridge for 10 minutes to firm it back up.
  • Rotate your baking sheets halfway through baking so the cookies brown evenly, especially if your oven has hot spots.
Go Back