3 Ingredient Shortbread Cookies

Homemade shortbread cookies are great for decorating during the holidays. These literally melt in your mouth with every single bite. Get ready to introduce a new family cookie favorite with this recipe you will want to make year after year with sprinkles or dipped in chocolate like you see here.

I think it’s safe to safe that the best part about baking at home is that you can make them the perfect texture. You can make them tender or crispy if you want to dip into a cold glass of milk after dinner.  If you want to go ALL out with a layered look, you can use this as the bottom of our pecan shortbread bars.

Can you make shortbread without eggs?

Yes, we will show you how to do just that there. These are eggless but still come out with that buttery creamy flavor you would expect in this classic treat. Follow our tips and tricks on how to cream properly to get the perfect texture to your batter and bake until soft or crispy.

Baking Tips

One of the other top tips is that you need to be sure that you’re mixing the butter and sugar well until creamy. I always use an electric mixer or a stand mixer to get out all the lumps. (Make sure the butter is a room temperature to help with the smoothness!)

When I roll the dough, I make sure to use a flour surface because I’m not taking any chances of having any of the dough get stuck and be unusable. You can always add flour to the counter if you need more.

Should shortbread dough be chilled before baking?

You should, 30 minutes min. is best but can be baked without it. Difference is they will spread out more and not stay in the shape you want. If you are going to decorate with chocolate, sprinkles, or just a little dusting of powdered sugar the shape doesn’t matter as much as it is masked a bit. 😉

How do you make shortbread cookies without chilling?

Some Christmas cookie recipes call for confectioner’s sugar or powdered sugar but I think that regular and butter do a great job. You’ll also find recipes that have you make the dough and wrap it in plastic to let sit in the fridge for a few hours. No way – no one has time for that.

I just add the two ingredients to a large bowl and microwave for a short time, stir, and repeat.  When it’s time to dip the cookies, lay the waxed paper on a baking sheet and dip the cookies in the melted chocolate and let dry on the baking sheet. This may take up to 30 minutes to dry but it’s totally worth the wait!

What is the best shortbread cookie recipe for decorating?

Since this simple shortbread dessert takes just seven simple ingredients, there are no cutting corners on making these easy cookies. I highly recommend using top-notch ingredients like real unsalted butter (not salted butter!) and flavorful chocolate chips.

Can you freeze shortbread cookie dough?

You can, wrapped in plastic wrap. Freezing these baked cookies is always a good idea. Not only do these cookies freeze well but they unthaw quickly and kept their taste. All you need to remember to do is store them in an airtight bag or container to keep them from getting freezer-burnt.

When it is time for you to snack on them again, just move to the fridge and let them unthaw quickly that way.  You can also freeze cookie dough before baking it, but I actually prefer to do bake them all at once and then freeze to eat when I want.

Do you put sprinkles on shortbread cookies before or after baking?

Before so they will stick. Don’t forget that this recipe is a blank canvas for making some truly unique flavors and tastes. While classic is delicious, it may not be what you’re craving when you make them.

Variations

Kids love to take two cookies and put frosting in between them to great a shortbread cookie pie. (and I secretly love this idea because it looks so darn good!) They then roll the edges of the frosted cookies in sprinkles and give a whole new look and flavor.

My other weakness when it comes to adding toppings is that I’m pretty obsessed with whipped cream. It’s a light and simple addition and you can literally dip the cookie right into the whipped topping tub. (don’t judge me – it’s good)

Baked in an air fryer

Want to make these in a small batch? Make our simple chocolate chip cookies in the oven or make air fryer cookies too! Just add a few at a time for a few minutes without heating up your whole house.

What is an easy way to decorate shorbread cookies?

You can just dip into melted chocolate and then into sprinkles!! My super baking secret is that I add a bit of coconut oil to my chocolate chips when I’m melting chocolate chips in the microwave. The flavor of the coconut oil gives a nice hint of coconut and helps the chips melt perfectly and be smooth.