These melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookies are buttery, tender, and just the right amount of sweet! They’re made with only a few simple ingredients but deliver the most irresistible, crumbly texture. Perfect for the holidays, gifting, or pairing with your afternoon cup of tea.
Why These Are the Best Shortbread Cookies
If you’re after the ultimate buttery shortbread cookie that’s crisp on the edges, soft in the middle, and melts in your mouth, this recipe ticks all the boxes! They’re rich, flavorful, and so easy to make. The perfect on-demand treats to have around! Here is why you’ll love them:
Perfect Texture
This melt-in-your-mouth shortbread cookie recipe bakes up with the dreamiest texture! Creaming the butter until it’s light and fluffy gives them that soft, delicate crumb, while cooling them slowly in the oven helps create those gorgeous golden edges. Every bite is perfectly crisp, buttery, and tender all at once.
Packed with Flavor
This easy shortbread recipe is bursting with rich, buttery flavor and just the right hint of vanilla. The secret? A little milk powder adds an extra layer of creaminess and depth. These cookies may be simple, but they taste so so good!
Easy to Make
You don’t need any fancy ingredients (only pantry staples) or special skills to make these homemade shortbread cookies. Just mix, roll, chill, and bake! They come together in no time and are the perfect cookie to whip up for the holidays, with a cup of tea, or anytime you’re craving something buttery and delicious. They don’t require any eggs either, so are great for people looking for eggless treats!
For a similar melt-in-your-mouth cookie recipe, check out my pipeable butter cookies! For crispier cookies with more of a bite, you’ll love my chewy coconut cookies 🙂
How to Make Shortbread Cookies
You can find the full list of ingredients for this recipe in the recipe card at the end of the blog post (for easy navigation, hit the ‘jump to recipe’ button at the top of the blog post). Here is a quick visual breakdown of the recipe (recipe video is also provided in the recipe card below).
In a large bowl, add room-temperature butter and salt. Using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed, cream for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add in milk powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla, then mix again on medium speed until well combined.
Add flour and mix on low speed until the mixture starts to clump together into a dough. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together — don’t overmix (see video for visual demonstration). Bring the dough together to form a ball, without overworking or kneading the dough.
Place the ball of dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll it into a circle or rectangle (depending on the final cookie shape you want). The rolled dough should be about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle flour on the dough as necessary to prevent sticking.
Transfer the rolled dough (by dragging the parchment) onto a baking tray/pan and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional.
Once chilled, cut the dough into your desired shapes. I just use a sharp knife to cut out small rectangular slices, but a cookie cutter will work too. Re-roll any scraps to make more cookies if needed. If the dough softens too much, chill it again briefly.
Prick the tops of the cookies with a fork for that classic shortbread look if desired, then place them on a lined baking tray, leaving a small gap between each one.
Bake for 12–13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. For a slightly crispier texture (which I prefer), bake for an extra minute or two, or until the edges are a deeper golden brown color.
Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly open, letting the cookies cool inside for 15 minutes. Remove tray from oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
How to Store Shortbread Cookies
Once the cookies are completely cool, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months — just layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container or freezer bag.
If they lose a bit of their crispness, simply pop them back in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes or so to refresh them (just keep a close eye on them to make sure they aren’t overbrowning). They’ll come out tasting perfectly buttery and crisp again!
How to Freeze Shortbread Dough
Shortbread dough freezes really well, making it easy to bake fresh cookies anytime. Shape the dough into a disk or rectangle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer bag or airtight container.
You can freeze it for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the dough in the fridge for a few hours or overnight, then roll, cut, and bake as usual. This way, you can enjoy freshly baked, buttery shortbread whenever the craving hits!
The Best Shortbread Cookies
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter - room temperature
- ½ tsp salt - omit if using salted butter
- ¼ cup (33 g) whole milk powder
- ⅔ cup (80 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract/essence
- 1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add butter and salt. Using a hand or stand mixer on medium speed, cream for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add in milk powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla, then mix again on medium speed until well combined.
- Add flour and mix on low speed until the mixture starts to clump together into a dough. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together — don’t overmix (see video for visual demonstration). Bring the dough together to form a ball, without overworking or kneading the dough.
- Place the ball of dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll it into a circle or rectangle (depending on the final cookie shape you want). The rolled dough should be about ¼ inch thick. Sprinkle flour on the dough as necessary to prevent it sticking to the rolling pin.
- Transfer the rolled dough (by dragging the parchment) onto a baking tray and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional (see note 1 if using a convection oven with a fan).
- Once chilled, cut the dough into your desired shapes. Re-roll any scraps to make more cookies if needed. If the dough softens too much, chill it again briefly.
- Prick the tops of the cookies with a fork for that classic shortbread look if desired, then place them on a lined baking tray, leaving a small gap between each one.
- Bake for 12–13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. For a slightly crispier texture (which I prefer), bake for an extra minute or two, or until the edges are a deeper golden brown color.
- Turn off the oven and leave the door slightly open, letting the cookies cool inside for 15 minutes (see note 2). Remove tray from oven and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
2 Comments
This looks delicious. I’m gonna try it but I don’t ever have skim milk or powdered milk. What can I use instead? I love your all your recipes are wonderful. Thank you so much. Happy holiday,❤️💕
I adore this recipe this is the first time I’m about to make it and I only have skimmed milk powder, are there any adjustments I would have to make for creamy results in the cookies?