These 3-ingredient Scottish Shortbread Cookies come from an old family recipe that has been passed down for generations, and they’re perfect for holiday baking! Best of all, there are no eggs, no leavening agents, and no chilling necessary — so they’re ready to enjoy in less than one hour. Rich and buttery, but not too sweet, the simple treats are delicious alongside a mug of hot cocoa or a cup of coffee. Decorate Christmas shortbread cookies with icing and sprinkles for a festive touch!
Shortbread Cookie Recipe
While my own family isn’t exactly Scottish, the recipe for these perfect shortbread cookies comes from our Scottish friends — the Stewarts! That means that even though I’m not an authentic Scot, the shortbread cookie recipe is definitely the real deal.
Bill Stewart’s Aunt Violet shared the recipe with his family (and with us), and she received the recipe from her mother. It’s one of those gems that gets passed from generation to generation because it’s so darn good. It’s a classic!
How to Make Scottish Shortbread Cookies | 1-Minute Video
What do shortbread cookies taste like?
While the taste of shortbread cookies sends me straight back to my childhood, I love them just as much as an adult. They’re not too sweet, they’re perfectly buttery, and they’re ideal for a snack or dessert with a cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa.
If you’re not familiar with a traditional shortbread recipe, butter is definitely the prominent flavor. In other words…they’re amazing!
Shortbread Cookies versus Sugar Cookies
Shortbread cookies are not the same as sugar cookies. Sugar cookies require many more ingredients than shortbread cookies, and sugar cookies are typically sweeter, with a lighter texture. Shortbread cookies are dense and buttery, making them perfect for dipping! The shortbread dough is also very smooth and easy to work with. It’s not sticky, and it doesn’t even need to be chilled before cutting and baking.
Ingredients for an Easy Shortbread Cookie Recipe
This is a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you’ll need for a batch of Scottish shortbread cookies. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe at the bottom of the post.
- All-purpose flour: the base of the cookie dough.
- Butter: I prefer salted butter. Make sure that it’s softened at room temperature so that it blends easily with the other ingredients.
- Powdered sugar (also called confectioners’ sugar): for just the right amount of sweetness.
That’s right — you don’t need eggs, baking soda, baking powder, or any other ingredients to make the best shortbread cookies!
How to Make Shortbread Cookies
With such a simple ingredient list, you can have hot-from-the-oven shortbread cookies in less than 1 hour! There’s no need to chill the dough, and you can get creative with the cookie cutters to create any shape that you desire.
- Use the paddle attachment on an electric stand mixer to combine the softened butter, flour, and powdered sugar until a ball of soft dough forms. The flour mixture will look dry and crumbly at first, but just let the mixer keep running and eventually everything will come together in the most perfect dough. It’s like magic!
- Roll dough to about ¼-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut into desired shapes, and then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Pierce the dough with the tines of a fork.
- Bake in a 325°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just lightly browned.
- Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!
How to Cut Shortbread Cookies
Cut Christmas shortbread cookies into holiday shapes with your favorite Christmas cookie cutters. Classic Scottish shortbread, however, is often cut into rectangles or rounds. I typically use a round 2 ½-inch biscuit cutter to make large cookies. I also use a pizza cutter, sharp knife, or pastry cutter to slice the dough into rectangular strips.
How to Decorate
While a classic Scottish shortbread doesn’t typically have icing, the buttery cookie does provide a great base for frosted Christmas cookies! If you (or your kids) prefer shortbread cookies with icing, then I suggest preparing a batch of royal icing and getting creative! There’s no wrong way to do it, so throw on some red and green sprinkles and have fun.
Buttery Shortbread Cookies are Perfect for Gifting
A sweet little package of this Scottish shortbread, along with some gourmet hot chocolate mix or a nice new mug and some coffee beans, is the perfect holiday gift for your favorite teacher, neighbor, or co-worker! But you better wrap them up quickly, because the cookies disappear fast!
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
How to Freeze
Allow the cookies to cool completely. Wrap cooled cookies (a few at a time) tightly with plastic wrap. Then wrap again in foil for an added layer of airtight protection. Stash the foil-wrapped cookies in large plastic freezer bags or storage containers. They will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recipe Variations
- Add finely chopped pecans, almonds, walnuts, or pistachios to the dough.
- Flavor the dough with vanilla extract, almond extract, or other extracts of your choice.
- Try lemon shortbread by adding lemon zest or lemon extract to the dough.
- Turn the dough into chocolate chip shortbread cookies by adding miniature chocolate chips.
- Dip the shortbread in chocolate after baking, then let the chocolate firm up as it cools.
Tips for the Best Shortbread Cookie Recipe
- Remember to soften the butter at room temperature. Cold butter will not blend easily into the other ingredients, so I like to leave the butter on my counter overnight before I plan to make the dough the next day.
- Use salted butter for the best flavor. If you only have unsalted butter in your kitchen, you’ll want to add a pinch of salt to the dough to balance the sweetness and give the cookies a more complex flavor.
- Keep mixing! The dough will look dry and crumbly at first, but let the mixer continue to run and the dough should come together in a nice, soft ball. It will have the texture of Play-Doh, so it’s easy to work with and not too sticky.
- Pierce the dough with a fork before baking. Poking holes in the top of the shortbread dough allows the heat to evenly penetrate the treats, which helps the cookies bake evenly.
So what makes this the best shortbread cookie recipe? It’s love, my friends! The cookies have been loved for generations, and they carry the special memories and the amazing taste with them in every batch!
More Christmas Cookies to Try
- Old-Fashioned Williamsburg Gingerbread Cookies
- Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies {with cake mix!}
- Jam Thumbprint Cookies
- Italian Ricotta Cookies
- Soft Gingerbread Man Cookies
- Magic Cookie Bars
- Russian Tea Cakes {Snowball Cookies}
- Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Snickerdoodles
- Old-Fashioned Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Fruitcake Cookies
- Pecan Pie Bars
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Scottish Shortbread
Equipment
- stand mixer (I own and love the KitchenAid)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, not sifted
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened at room temperature
- ½ cup powdered sugar (also called confectioners' sugar)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; set aside. In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, softened butter, and powdered sugar. Mix on medium speed until completely combined and a soft dough forms. The mixture will look dry and crumbly at first, but let the mixer keep running for a few minutes and the dough will eventually form into a soft ball.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly-floured surface (to about ¼-inch thickness, or slightly thicker).
- Use cookie cutters, biscuit cutters, or a sharp knife to cut out desired shapes. Place the shapes on the prepared baking sheets.
- Pierce each cookie a couple of times with the tines of a fork.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until just lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in December, 2017. The photos were updated in November, 2021.
This is as good or better than the Scottish shortbread I buy in the store. It is more moist and tastes so nice and buttery. The kind I buy in the store has a crunchy sugar on the outside of the cookie but I am sure I could dust with coarse sugar before or after baking to get that same effect. I’m about to make them for the second time. I love them with coffee or tea..
I’m so happy to hear that, Meg! I’m glad that you enjoy them as much as I do! 🙂
Hello, onboars my latest Atlantic cruise with Queen Mary 2, I made friends with scottish shortbreads.
However, where I am from (Sweden), we meassure butter and other ingrediences in grams.cetrainly not in cups and sticks. Would you please help me to translate 2 ‘sticks of butter Into grams instead? And 2 cups of all purpose flour, show much is the weight there?
Sorry to ask such silly questions, but not all of the world meassure the ‘English’ way. Thank you in advance.
Hi, Clary! I’m not too familiar with weighing ingredients for baking, but a quick search noted that 1 cup of all purpose flour is equal to 4.25 ounces or 120 grams. So for this recipe, you would need 8.5 oz or 240 grams.
The recipe calls for 1 cup of butter. According to an online chart, 1 cup of butter is equal to 225 grams.
Hope that helps, and enjoy the cookies! 🙂
Check out this page for metric conversions: https://www.jsward.com/cooking/conversion.shtml
Thanks!
I just got back to the states after a sixteen day tour of Scotland and Ireland. We were treated to high tea of homemade shortbread and tea or coffee. It was very buttery and yummy. They gave us their recipe but I’m not sure what some of the ingredients were. But I am going to try your recipe and see how it compares with what they served us. I’ll let you know if it’s the same. Thanks for sharing.
Your trip sounds amazing, Pamella! Let me know how you enjoy the cookies! 🙂
Wow! Awesome recipe. Very yummy! I added 1/4 tsp of vanilla though. Thanks so much
Now i don’t to spend all that money buying these for the kids or feel sad when i don’t have extra money to spare to buy them this delight! Thanks again.
Perfect! Thanks, Lanike!
Hello.
These are the real deal. THE best. Thanks for the recipe. Could this dough be used for a tart crust?
Thanks, Allan! 🙂 I honestly don’t know — I’ve never tried it as a tart crust. I think it would probably be delicious, but let me know if you give it a try! Oh, and be sure to prick the dough all over with a fork if you do so, because that will prevent the crust from puffing up too much as it bakes.
Hello. I finally made a lemon lime tart using this shortbread recipe for the crust. Perfect!! I’m so glad I found your website.
Oh, that’s so good to know, Allan. Thank you!
Just like my grandmother used to bake! These are absolutely delicious. FYI if you over bake them a bit then you can dip them in chocolate and let them set! Yum!
Hi Blair,
Thanks for your recipe! These were so much fun to make and so easy as well! I added a teaspoon of vanilla & almond extract, as well as some lemon zest and chopped up rosemary. These shortbreads were absolutely beautiful and piercing them with a fork was genius – they were the perfect texture/shape!
Thanks again, Sara
Sara, your cookies sound amazing! Love the idea of adding the rosemary — so unique and delicious!
I have seen recipes that use powdered sugar and some use regular sugar.
What makes the difference.
Thanks
There would be a completely different texture with the granulated sugar. I’ve never tested it that way, so I can’t give you any specifics, but this is our favorite! 🙂
Hi,
My family came to Nova Scotia from Scotland in 1752. The shortbread recipe we have is called Scotch cakes. They are made with brown sugar instead of icing sugar. You need to cream the butter and sugar until no grains are felt.
Here is an authentic recipe if you’re interested.
1/2 lb butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
Cream well . Then add
2-21/2 cups flou1/2 tsp. salt
Kneed the dough well.. Pat or roll out to 1 inch thick or so. Cut with square or shaped cookie cutter.
Bake at 325 for 25 minutes.
Thanks so much for sharing your favorite version, Debra! 🙂
Been looking for a good shortbread cookie recipe .
This is perfect, tried it today. Thanks
That’s awesome, Marty! Thank you!
I have my great great grandmother’s recipe card, so even tho I don’t need the recipe, I pull it out just to connect me to her through her handwriting! It is identical to yours. Lately I add a bit of orange extract and dip a corner into chocolate. I also have made them far ahead (not dipped) and stored them in sealed containers for a month before the party, and they have been perfectly good for a couple weeks after.
That’s wonderful, Ruth! I love my grandmother’s handwritten recipes, too. So special!
This is the best!! Sometimes if I want to make it a little more extra I add some vanilla extract and some orange zest!!
Thanks, Priscilla!
I seriously dislike any baked good that requires rolling out,and usually avoid those recipes. I was craving shortbread and couldn’t find any locally that weren’t going to require a personal loan to buy a dozen. Enter this recipe!
I have now made this at least 3x a week, 6 dozen at a time. I take them to work, give them to neighbors, and share them with our vet, doctors, etc. These are SIMPLE and so delicious.. This is my new favorite cookie, and the rolling out of the dough is my new therapy!
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear, Jen! I love them SO much, too…and I usually hate rolling out baked goods as well. 🙂
I’m not big on rolling out either but I bought one of these and it works great.
K BASIX Beech Wood Adjustable Rolling Pin with Multicolored Removable Rings Classic for Baking Dough Pizza Pie and Cookies
Thank you so much
I was trying to find my Moms recipe but she has passed and it has been lost. These are just like hers, even taste the same. We come from MacLeods , Ross and Laird families. Lord Selkirk brought them over to PEI. ????❤️
Thanks again,
Mary xx
Thank you very much
I’ve been looking to find a recipe like my Mom’s shortbread cookies. My Mom has passed and unfortunately I can’t find her recipe. This is just like hers and tastes the same. We come from MacLeods, Ross and Laird families. Lord Selkirk brought them to PEI. ????❤️
Thank you again
Mary xx
I love that, Mary! It makes me so happy to know that these cookies bring back some of your favorite memories of Mom! xoxo
I just took my dough out of the fridge to roll. It was in the fridge since the evening before. It is so hard I cant roll it. Will it soften if I leave it out awhile
Yes! Just let it sit out at room temp for a little while and it should be perfect. It’s largely butter (which hardens in the fridge), so it will also soften just like a stick of butter. Enjoy! 🙂
Made these last weekend and was totally awed by them as were the few other people I shared them with several asking for the recipe. I have eaten shortbread cookies from various bakery’s from San Francisco to San Diego and these stood up to the best of them. I did choose to roll them to 3/8th thickness rather than 1/4 in and baked for 25 mins. Next batch I’m going to try some vanilla and cinnamon. Thanks for the recipe.
Gary
That’s so good to hear, Gary! Thank you for taking the time to leave a note!
Use room temp butter only. Don’t take it from the refer and microwave as it will form a wet dough and be hard to roll out even if adding more flour. I added vanilla and will see how it turns out…will advise.
I’ve made these cookies several times and they are always perfect. I make them small and bake for 10 minutes because we don’t like them too crisp. I don’t roll them, I make a log in some cling wrap and chill for 10 minutes before slicing. They’re delicate and delicious! People who say the dough is crumbly, make sure your butter is really soft so you have enough moisture to hold the dough together. Thanks for this recipe!
Thanks, Stephanie! I love the idea of slicing the log — so easy!!
Great easy recipe, I subbed the flour with gluten free flour and they turned out great and delicious.
Great! I’m so glad to know that they even work with the gluten-free flour!