A table dusted with white powdered sugar with star shaped sugar cookies.

Sugar Shortbread Cookie Recipe

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Learn how to make this delicious, buttery sugar shortbread cookie recipe. The perfect recipe to make for now or freeze for later!

These sugar shortbread cookies are hard to beat. Soft, chewy, buttery and not too sweet. You’ll be reaching for this recipe for all the holidays.

A table dusted with white powdered sugar with star shaped sugar cookies.

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Ingredients

The ingredients listed below will yield approximately 18 to 20 cookies per batch.

Ingredients for Sugar Shortbread Cookies

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar
  • Salted Butter
  • Egg
  • Vanilla Extract
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Supplies

Supplies for this recipe

  • Hand mixer or stand mixer
  • Baking sheet
  • Ice cream scoop
  • Timer
  • Spatula
  • Cooling rack
  • Cookie cutters (optional)
  • Silicone baking sheet or parchment baking sheet (optional)

Note: It is helpful to use parchment baking sheets or a silicone baking sheet when baking cookies. These are optional items and will not affect the recipe outcome if you don’t use them.

How to make Sugar Shortbread Cookie Recipe

  • Step One- In a large bowl, blend sugar and softened butter.
  • Step Two- Beat in egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Step Three-In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
  • Step Four-Add half the flour and baking soda mixture to the mixing bowl. Do not over mix.
  • Step Five-Combine the last of the flour and baking soda mixture to the mixing bowl and mix again.
  • Step six- Using ice cream scoop, scoop dough onto cookie sheet or plate until mixer bowl is empty.
  • Step seven- Place cookie balls in the fridge for 1 hour BEFORE baking.
  • Step eight- While cookies are chilling in the fridge, pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Step nine- After one hour, place cookie balls onto lined baking sheet 4 to 5 inches apart.
  • Step 10- Bake 10 to minutes. Watch carefully. Cookies should not be flat.
  • Step eleven- After baking 10 to 12 minutes, remove from oven and immediately place on cooling rack.
  • Step twelve- Enjoy!

Find the measurements and full printable recipe below!

Recipe Ingredients

A counter full of baking ingredients to make sugar shortbread cookies.
Ingredients out and ready to go.

Mixed Sugar Shortbread Dough

A stand mixer containing beaten sugar shortbread cookie dough.

Formed Cookie Dough Balls

A white plate with a silver ice cream scoop used to scoop sugar shortbread dough from the stand mixing bowl.
Cookies after they have been scooped out from mixing bowl. Ready for the refrigerator!

Ready To Bake!

On the baking sheet/silicone baking mat ready for the oven after being refrigerated for 1 hour.

Perfectly Baked Sugar Shortbread Cookies

A cooling rack lined with freshly baked sugar shortbread cookies hot from the oven.
On the cooling rack after removing from the oven.

Tips for Sugar Shortbread Cookie Recipe

  • If you are planning to make these cookies, take out the butter you will need the night before so it will be softened when you begin baking.
  • Measure and set out all other ingredients you will need.
  • Make sure you are using baking SODA, not baking powder. This will greatly affect the end result if you use the wrong ingredient.
  • Use a stand mixer or hand mixer if you have limited time.  A stand mixer will always be my go-to just for ease and speed.
  • You can make the dough the night before. Then chill in fridge until ready to bake. Be sure and cover if you are chilling longer than an hour.
  • Make cookie recipe ahead of time and freeze in cookie ball form (using the ice cream scoop). Remove from freezer and refrigerate the day before you intend on baking. This way, you always have cookies on hand-just bake!
  • Use an ice cream scoop to make cookies even in size and shape. This is optimal for baking. The cookies will all bake evenly and to perfection-everytime!
  • Place in the freezer in a log form instead of in ball form. After refrigeration, roll out and let the kids use cookie cutters. After cookies have baked and cooled, spend an hour (or two) decorating the cookies with family and friends.
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Variations

Once you have a good base recipe for a sugar shortbread cookie, it’s so easy to add other ingredients to elevate your cookie experience. For this recipe try adding:

Variation Ingredients

  • Nuts
  • Chocolate chips
  • White chocolate chips
  • Melted chocolate for a black and white cookie
  • Frosting

Have you tried any other variation of this cookie recipe? Be sure and share in the comments down below!

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A perfectly baked cookie is a thing of beauty. Buttery, soft and delicious.
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A table dusted with white powdered sugar with star shaped sugar cookies.

Sugar Shortbread Cookie Recipe

Yield: 18 to 20 cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 21 minutes

A soft and chewy extra buttery sugar shortbread cookie recipe. Perfect for baking now or freezing for later. Great recipe for making cut out cookies to frost during the holidays.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup softened salted butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, blend sugar and softened butter.
  2. Beat in egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking soda.
  4. Add half the flour and baking soda mixture to the mixing bowl. Do not over mix.
  5. Combine the last of the flour and baking soda mixture to the mixing bowl and mix again.
  6. Using ice cream scoop, scoop dough onto cookie sheet or plate until mixer bowl is empty.
  7. Place cookie balls in the fridge for 1 hour BEFORE baking.
  8. While cookies are chilling in the fridge, pre-heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  9. After one hour, place cookie balls onto lined baking sheet 4 to 5 inches apart.
  10. Bake 10 to minutes. Watch carefully. Cookies should not be flat.
  11. After baking 10 to 12 minutes, remove from oven and immediately place on cooling rack.
  12. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Double the batch and place some in the freezer. Remove from the freezer and place in the fridge the night before you intend to bake.
  • Refrigerate dough and then roll out to make easy cookies to bake and decorate for holidays and special occasions.
  • Use a cookie scoop instead od rolling into balls by hand. This keeps the cookie sizes consistent which is best for baking.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1 cookie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 196Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 155mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g

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Supplies

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7 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    These are delicious as confirmed by myself and granddaughter.

  2. Great cookies and easy to spice up with flavored frostings

  3. homemadeonourhomestead says:

    Thanks Kelly! 🙂

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