My favorite shortbread cookie recipe is easy to make with a bowl, a spoon, and simple ingredients! No mixer needed and they turn out so rich and buttery!
I love these shortbread cookies! They’re proof that sometimes the simplest recipes really are the best. With their classic buttery flavor, they remind me of the Scottish shortbread (like Walker’s) I loved growing up.
While the base recipe uses just three ingredients, I like to add a touch of vanilla and a little orange zest for extra flavor. The dough does need some chilling time, but I actually love that. It makes them perfect for making ahead, especially during the holidays. Easily one of my favorite cookies, this shortbread dough even inspired the crust for our lemon bars.
Key Ingredients
- Flour: I stick with all-purpose flour for these cookies. Some shortbread recipes use cornstarch for extra tenderness, but plain flour gives the perfect balance. They turn out tender in the center with just a hint of crunch around the edges.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is all you need! It sweetens the dough beautifully, and I like to sprinkle a little extra on top before baking. It makes the cookies sparkle.
- Butter: This shortbread cookie recipe uses melted butter, which means no mixer required (a big win in my book!). The recipe calls for salted butter, but you can use unsalted and add ¼ teaspoon of fine salt instead.
- Vanilla and Orange: Trust me on this one, the vanilla extract and orange zest make these taste so good. I also add orange zest (with a bit of lemon) to our easy butter cookies.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Shortbread Cookies
Tip 1: Make a flavored sugar. I love the combination of vanilla and orange in these cookies. To infuse that flavor, start by making a flavored sugar: use your fingers to rub the granulated sugar with the vanilla extract and orange zest. As you rub, the oils from the zest perfume the sugar, giving it an incredible aroma and flavor that carries through the entire dough.
Tip 2: Add the melted butter while it’s warm. There’s no need to wait for the butter to cool. Stir it right into the flour mixture while it’s still warm until a soft dough forms. Don’t worry if it looks a little shiny. That’s exactly what you want.
Tip 3: Let the dough rest. Let the cookie dough rest on the counter for a couple of hours, or even better, overnight. This gives the flour time to fully absorb the butter and infused sugar, resulting in a richer, more developed flavor. I use the same resting method for other Inspired Taste favorites, like our snickerdoodle cookies.
Tip 4: Double-bake them. The secret to the perfect shortbread texture is a double bake. This is a tip I learned from dessert genius Alice Medrich. This technique guarantees cookies that are crisp, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- First, bake the dough in a pan until it’s firm and lightly golden.
- Remove from the oven, slice into individual cookies, and return to the oven for another 15 minutes, until beautifully crisp.
More Classic Cookie Recipes
- The Best Chocolate Cookies
- My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Oatmeal Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Easy Shortbread Cookies
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We love this rich and buttery shortbread cookie recipe. These cookies are simple to make and can be kept for days (if not weeks when chilled). There are only a few ingredients required and no mixer! You only need a a bowl and spoon. By rubbing vanilla and orange zest into the sugar and using a double-bake method, you’ll have the best shortbread cookies ever!
You Will Need
12 tablespoons unsalted butter (170g)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
5 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling (60g)
1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (195g)
Directions
1Prepare the pan: Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving extra foil hanging over two opposite sides. This makes it easy to lift the shortbread out later.
2Melt the butter: Add the butter and salt to a small saucepan. Melt over low heat, or use a microwave-safe bowl and melt in short bursts in the microwave.
3Make the flavored sugar: While the butter melts, add the sugar, vanilla, and orange zest to a medium bowl. Use your fingers to rub the mixture together until fragrant.
4Mix the dough: Stir the warm melted butter into the flavored sugar, then add the flour. Mix until just combined. The dough will look shiny from the butter, which is exactly what you want.
5Press and rest: Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Let it rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you have time. (No need to refrigerate.)
6Bake the shortbread: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 300°F (149°C). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the shortbread is set and just beginning to turn golden at the edges.
7Cool and cut: Remove the pan from the oven, but leave the oven on. Lightly sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of sugar over the top. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift the shortbread out using the foil overhang, place it on a cutting board, and cut into squares or triangles (you’ll get about 16 squares or 32 triangles).
8Bake again: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Arrange the shortbread pieces on the sheet, leaving a little space between each. Bake for another 15 minutes, until crisp and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week (or freeze for 1 month).
- We researched several recipes before coming up with this recipe. The most fascinating one we found was from Alice Medrich. We love her method of double-baking the cookies. It’s what makes these cookies the closest to our favorite store-bought Scottish shortbreads. You can find her recipe in her cookbook, Pure Dessert. We also learned a lot from Fine Cooking’s shortbread cookie tips.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
Wonderful idea. I couldn’t see in the directions where, when to add the salt and vanilla, so I “winged” it!
You give a calorie count for one cookie, is that a triangle 1/32 or square 1/16? Other than that, yum!
Hi Kate, I am sorry the salt was missing from the directions. I have fixed that now! The nutrition is for 1 square (16 total in the recipe). Glad you enjoyed them!!
At the beginning of this you state chilling time is needed. But I don’t see when to chill in the recipe/ instructions. Does it need to be chilled? Thank you!
Step 5: “Press the dough evenly in the foil-lined pan and let it rest at room temperature for 2 hours or overnight (there is no need to refrigerate).”
My husband rarely helps himself to any of my bakes. This Shortbread is an exception. I had tears in my eyes as I watched him help himself thrice to it. My kids love it so much as well. Bonus is that this is one of the simplest things to make and needs just a bowl and spoon. The husband begged me not to make this too often or he will get fat. Thank you so much for such a simple but delicious recipe!
I love shortbread but don’t make it because I hate creaming (or whatever it is you usually do) the softened butter with the dry ingredients. It seems to take forever and ends up an oily mess usually. This recipe, with the butter melted and poured over the sugar, was just my speed – easy peasy. I hate orange flavor and even though the finished cookies are not supposed to taste like oranges, I didn’t want to risk it. So I used a pinch of powdered cardamon instead. And I used Malden salt instead of kosher salt, because that’s the way I roll. And: Oh! My! Stars! These were the best shortbread cookies I’ve ever had. Lightly sweet, with the barest hint of Malden salt adding a savory note, vanilla and cardamon playing a symphony on the tongue. Crunchy and crumbling in the mouth, almost like a pecan sandy without pecans. These are cookies worthy of serious attention and even love. No one can stop me from making these again and again and again. Not that anyone in their right mind would try to prevent such a wonderful cookie. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I’m addicted to these shortbread cookies! I didn’t have zest, so I added a bit of orange flavor–lovely contrast flavor. I added lemon flavor the second time–mmmmmmm! I cut mine in ling thin fingers–that double bake is brilliant! So easy and oh so good!
These are by far the easiest and best shortbread I have ever made. I have an old recipe that I make each Christmas, and wow everybody with. As far as I’m concerned this beats it, hands down. The orange zest is the winning ingredient, I’m sure.
These are, BAR none – the BEST shortbread cookies I’ve ever tasted (or made!)- I usually HATE making shortbread (as much as I adore eating it)- due to the fussiness, the dough being crumbly, having to chill, having to roll between two sheets of parchment paper – these took NO time to make, super super easy and the twice-baked method added that touch of crispness I LOVE!! Now officially my facourite and only shortbread recipe! Thanks so much!!
I had attempted shortbread once before they didn’t turn out so well but these shortbread cookies were easy and tasted fantastic!! I am definitely going to have to make some more because these are not going to last long guaranteed.
I love short bread cookies is an under statement. This is the best cookie recipe I have EVER tasted!!! There is one small problem my friends find out they never get into the oven.
I have baked lots of cookies in the last 40 + years, but this was the simplest ever, and the best shortbread I HAVE EVER EATEN IN MY LIFE! I had no oranges so that unfortunately was omitted, and only had salted butter on hand. With that being said, I did not add salt to my dough as called for, but I felt adding 1/2 tsp of salt would have been fine. I let my dough “macerate” for about 1 1/2 hrs only because I was doing yard work. Next time, I will definitely add the orange or lemon zest. Cannot wait to have these with homemade vanilla ice cream. They are YUMMY! Thank you ever so much for sharing 🙂
Haven’t made them yet but going to tonight. Also wanted to sign up for the free newsletter.
I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out brilliantly. They are the best shortbread i have ever made/eaten. Will never use another recipe for shortbread. So quick, easy, no rubbing in and perfect results. Thank you so much.
Seriously yummy! I’ve been looking everywhere for butter shortbread recipes. Most seem to be powdery and contain cornstarch. But THESE!!! Definitely saving this recipe and will be making again. I added lavender sugar on top 😉
Beautiful recipe. My favorite addition to shortbread cookies or bars are crystallized ginger finely sliced or diced with pignolies (pine nuts), what flavor! Elegant and delicious!
My cookies got burnt in 45 mins 🙁
Oh no, we are sorry to hear that! Is it possible your oven runs a bit hot? Most home ovens are inaccurate and can run too hot or too cold. We’ve found an oven thermometer helps with this (ours cost around $10).
I will add a note in the recipe to share what the cookies should look like instead of just giving a baking time — hopefully this will help you or others next time.
Great recipe. I liked the orange zest as a different twist.
One constructive comment. Foil is an awful pan liner. I use parchment for my shortbread. It is much easier to work with and doesn’t tear!
Hello! I love simple recipes with few ingredients and I just loved this delicious cookies, even more because they are so easy to make, thanks for sharing them with us!
Wow these shortbread cookies look amazing! Love that there are only 6 ingredients!
I just wanted to tell how much I LOVE this shortbread recipe for my Christmas cookies. For years I’ve made a good old fashion, but it takes time, version. Yours is so easy and buttery rich. I could have nibbled on these all night, but popped them into a air tight container and hid them. Otherwise we’d not have any for Christmas Day. Thanks so much, I really enjoy your site and recipes. Headed to the kitchen to make scones. 🙂 Merry Christmas to both of you!!
I made these last night and baked them this morning. They were sooooo good. I love that I can freeze them. I’m thinking they’ll make a few more appearances in the next few weeks
I am just loving the look of these shortbread cookies! I definitely am craving a couple to devour right now after seeing this post!