3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies Recipe
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These 3-ingredient shortbread cookies are sweet, buttery, and delightful crumbly! They’re melt-in-your-mouth tender yet still gives that delightful crispy bite. Made with just butter, sugar, and flour, these classic cookies are as perfect for your holiday parties as they are for anytime of the year. 3 ingredients, endless buttery goodness!
I have a special fondness for quick and simple recipes, and this one is definitely a gem. I grew up making Scottish shortbread almost every weekend. I would use a round 9-inch springform pan and remember meticulously cutting in cold butter with a pastry cutter. I much prefer this recipe for its notable simplicity and ability to feed more people.
These are great cookies to make during the holiday season and pull out with a cup of tea or coffee anytime unexpected guests come by. I usually make a huge batch around Christmas, box them up nicely, and give them away as gifts to friends and neighbors.
Shortbread cookies are also the perfect pair for your morning coffee or afternoon tea any time of the year. They make a nice dessert, lunchbox treat, or party favor, especially when cut out into shapes and decorated. Shortbread is simple yet sophisticated and usually doesn’t fail to please!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The easiest cookies: These cookies come together in minutes, and there’s no need for fancy equipment or extra steps like freezing cookie dough. No need to roll or shape the cookies, either!
- Simple, everyday ingredients: With just 3 pantry staples – butter, powdered sugar, and all-purpose flour – you can make flavorful cookies that melt in your mouth!
- Holiday must-have: These cookies are a timeless favorite during the festive season, perfect for cookie exchanges, gift-giving, or adding a little extra holiday cheer to your dessert table.
- Make-ahead friendly: The dough and cookies both keep well, so you can make them in advance for gatherings or as gifts.
- Classic year-round treat: Serve at parties or enjoy as a casual treat. They’re enjoyable no matter the season.
- Customizable: Add toppings, cut them out into shapes, or decorate them – these cookies can be easily customized for any event or celebration.
How to Make 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
If you’ve never baked cookies before, this 3-ingredient shortbread recipe is the perfect place to start. As simple as they are, these shortbread cookies don’t come up short! Their sweet, buttery taste and perfectly crisp-tender texture give any store bought kind a run for their money. Prep for just 5 minutes and let your oven do the rest!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredients You Need
- Butter: Adds richness and creates the melt-in-your-mouth texture of the cookies. I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if that’s what you have. Just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to help round out the flavors.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps give them a smooth, delicate crumb.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and balances the fat from the butter, giving the cookies their signature crispness.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Making these 3-ingredient shortbread cookies is super simple! With basic ingredients and just a few minutes of hands-on time, you’ll have a batch of buttery, crumbly treats ready to enjoy. Follow these step-by-step instructions for perfectly baked shortbread every time.
Step 1: Make the dough
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease a 9×13-inch glass baking dish.
First, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and cream to combine. Slowly add the flour, mixing as you go. You’ll see the combination turn from wet sand to proper dough.
Step 2: Bake
Next, transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Press flat to spread the dough out to ¼-inch thick. The dough doesn’t fill the whole space, there will be a small margin around the edge. Form a nice rectangle. You can use a small rolling pin, a sturdy glass jar, or cup to roll the dough instead of pressing with your fingers.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from heat when the cookies are still pale and edges just start to turn golden brown. Immediately, cut into 8×3 sticks (divide the length of the dish by 8 and the width by 3. Each stick will be approximately 1.6 by 3 inches).
Then, prick each piece 3 to 4 times with a fork. Cutting and pricking in the second half of the cooking time avoids cracking the cookie surface.
Processing this step while the cookies are still warm gives a prettier, cleaner finish because otherwise, they can get quite brittle after cooking fully and break apart unevenly when you cut and prick them. Return to the oven to finish baking for another 8 minutes.
Step 3: Cool
Transfer the cookies to cool on a wire rack. If they crumble while moving them over, leave to cool until firm on the baking sheet.
Substitutions
You probably already have all 3 ingredients in your kitchen to make these classic cookies. In case you don’t, here are some ideal substitutions:
- Powdered sugar: If you don’t have powdered sugar, use brown sugar in a 1:1 ratio or 1/3 cup of maple syrup instead. The flavor will be slightly different and expect your cookies to be browner. Do not substitute powdered sugar with granulated sugar or you’ll end up with dry, brittle cookies.
- All-purpose flour: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour mix in place of all-purpose flour.
Variations
This recipe creates plain shortbread cookies, so there’s a lot of room to dress them up and add your favorite flavors and mix-ins. Here are some of my favorite variations to the classic shortbread cookies:
- Dip half of each cookie in melted chocolate or drizzle chocolate syrup on top for some rich, chocolatey goodness.
- Make these cookies summer-perfect by adding a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough. I love this fresh, citrusy twist!
- Mix in finely chopped nuts for added flavor and crunch. Pecans, walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts are great choices.
- Add 1 tablespoon of orange zest and 1/3 cup of dried cranberries for flavorful cranberry orange shortbread cookies.
- My kids’ favorite – honey almond shortbread cookies! Just add 1/4 cup honey and 1/4 cup sliced almonds to the mixture to make this delicious variation.
Expert Tips
- Soften the butter: Softening the butter yields a very different texture than cold butter and is really worth the extra thoughtfulness of leaving out ahead of time. In my opinion, cold butter yields a more crumbly dough and doesn’t produce as flaky and delicious of a cookie texture.
- Sift: Take time to properly sift the powdered sugar and all-purpose flour to create a lump-free dough.
- Don’t over-bake: Low heat is also important to avoid over-baking. The cookies can easily get too toasty or burnt on the bottom, so it’s important not to leave them in the oven longer than what the recipe requires. The cookies will also firm up slightly as they cool.
- Cut perfectly: Use a sharp knife to cut the cookies for clean, straight edges. On the other hand, you can use a fluted pastry wheel to create a pretty, crimped finish to the cookies.
- Make them party-ready: Once the cookies are cooled, you can add your favorite toppings or decorate with icing according to the celebration. I add red and green sprinkles for a festive touch! Alternatively, you can roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to create various shapes. Chill the dough for easier handling!
How to Store This Recipe
After your shortbread cookies have cooled, place extras in an airtight container or glass jar and store at room temperature for up to 1 week. Roll made-ahead dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator before baking.
What to Serve with 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
3-ingredient shortbread can be enjoyed as is or paired with coffee, tea, or seasonal drinks like peppermint hot chocolate. Serve the cookies topped with whipped or clotted cream, fruit preserves or jam, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They’re also delicious with a side of fruit compote, served alongside a cheese platter, or as part of a cookie tray.
If you make these 3-ingredient shortbread cookies, please leave a review. I really appreciate each and every 5-star rating and review comment!
Easy 3-Ingredient Shortbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Grease a 9×13-inch glass baking dish.
- Beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and cream to combine. Slowly add the flour, mixing as you go. You’ll see the combination turn from wet sand to proper dough.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Press flat to spread the dough out to ¼-inch thick.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from heat when the cookies are still pale and edges just start to turn golden brown. Immediately, cut into 8×3 sticks (divide the length of the dish by 8 and the width by 3. Each stick will be approximately 1.6 by 3 inches). And prick each piece 3-4 times with a fork. Return to the oven to finish baking for another 8 minutes.
- Transfer to cool on a wire rack. If the cookies crumble while moving them over, leave too cool until firm on the baking sheet.
Notes
- Soften the butter to prevent a crumbly dough that doesn’t produce cookies that are as flaky and delicious.
- Take time to properly sift the powdered sugar and all-purpose flour to create a lump-free dough.
- Use low heat and don’t bake the cookies longer than what the recipe requires to avoid over-baking and getting cookies with a burnt bottom.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the cookies for clean, straight edges. On the other hand, you can use a fluted pastry wheel to create a pretty, crimped finish to the cookies.
- Once the cookies are cooled, you can add your favorite toppings or decorate with icing according to the celebration. Alternatively, you can roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to create various shapes. Chill the dough for easier handling!
