These festive Christmas Cut Out Shortbread Cookies are a holiday classic that’s just as fun to make as they are to eat! The buttery flavor and crisp texture are the perfect base for colorful icing and sprinkles, which means you can really get creative. The dough is super simple to whip up, making it great for baking with kids. Little hands will love assisting in rolling out the dough, cutting out the cookie shapes and going wild with the decorations.
This sweet treat is a must for cookie swaps, holiday gift boxes or just filling up a festive platter. They’re sturdy enough to pack up and share but pretty enough to steal the show at any party. Plus, they’re just the thing to pair with a mug of hot chocolate or a cozy cup of coffee.
One of the things we love most about these cookies is that no two are ever exactly alike! Each cookie turns out unique, the icing and sprinkle combinations are endless! It’s so much fun to see the variety when they’re all laid out together. They are like little edible works of art.
If you love holiday baking, check out my Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Mint Cookies or my Chocolate Pistachio Shortbread.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- With just a few simple ingredients, the shortbread dough comes together quickly, making it a stress free recipe perfect for any skill level.
- From the shapes to the icing colors and sprinkles, you can personalize these cookies for any holiday, event, or theme.
- They’re buttery, crisp, and just sweet enough. A classic shortbread that melts in your mouth.
- These easy Christmas cookies are so versatile. Keep them simple for an elegant look, or go all out with sprinkles and bold colors for a playful, festive treat.
- You can do so much with these cookies. Bring them to a cookie exchange, package them as a holiday gift to your friends or neighbors, add them to a cookie tray on your dessert table. The possibilities are endless and perfect for the holiday season!
Ingredients Needed
Here are notes about some of the ingredients needed to make these Christmas shortbread cookies. For the full recipe and measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Butter: Use good quality salted butter for the best flavor as it’s the main base for this simple dough. Make sure it is softened to room temperature before using.
- Sugar
- Flour
- Powdered sugar: Use sifted powdered sugar to get the smoothest icing.
- Half and half
- Clear vanilla: I prefer to use clear vanilla extract for this because it keeps the icing colors bright and true.
- Food coloring
- Sprinkles: I love getting a variety pack of holiday sprinkles for lots of options.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Half and half: Use milk, heavy cream, or a non-dairy alternative (like almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk).
- Clear vanilla: Regular vanilla will work just as good. You could also substitute with almond or peppermint extract for a holiday twist.
- Food coloring: Feel free to skip the food coloring and allow the sprinkles to steal the show.
- Sprinkles: Use finely crushed peppermint candies or colored sugar crystals instead of traditional sprinkles for variety.
This shortbread cookie recipe has not been tested with this substitution. If you give any of these a try, please let me know how it worked out in the comments below!
Recipe Variations
- Add 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest or a pinch of cinnamon nutmeg or cardamom to the dough for a cozy addition.
- Skip the icing and dip half of the cookies in chocolate instead.
- Swap this simple icing for royal icing and make intricate designs on the tops of the cookies.
- Swirl two icing colors together to get a marbled look.
- I prefer to cut these out as round cookies, but you could use any cookie cutter shape,or shapes, you wanted.
This shortbread recipe has not been tested with these variations. If you give any of these a try, please let me know how it worked out in the comments below!
Equipment Needed
- Stand mixer: To easily combine the ingredients for the dough use a stand mixer. A hand mixer works fine, but a stand mixer makes it quicker.
- Baking sheet: I love to use large jelly roll pans for baking cookies.
- Pastry mat: Any time I am rolling out dough of any kind, I am so thankful I have a pastry mat that does not slide around and makes for fairly easy clean up.
- Rolling pin: I just use an ordinary wooden rolling pin. It's a necessity for cookies, pizza dough, pie crust, and so much more!
- Cookie cutters: I like the simplicity of using a round cookie cutter for these cookies, but you can use any shape you prefer. I usually just use one of my 2 ¼ -inch biscuit cutter. A simple Christmas tree cookie cutter would be a lot of fun too!
- Parchment paper: Use parchment paper if you want to line the cake pan for easier removal after baking.
Step by Step Instructions
1. Mix the Dough
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the sugar and continue mixing for another 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Gradually add the flour and mix on low until just combined.
2. Chill the Dough
Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap, shape it into a disc, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
3. Roll and Cut
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll the chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness, then use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie.
4. Bake the Cookies
Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Decorate the Cookies
In a bowl, mix powdered sugar, half and half, and clear vanilla until smooth. Divide the icing into bowls and add food coloring to create your desired colors.
Dip the tops of the cookies into the icing, letting the excess drip off. Flip them over and decorate with sprinkles. Allow the icing to set before serving or storing.
Expert Tips
Here are some tips and tricks for making the best shortbread cookies:
- Use two ¼-inch dowels taped to your counter by simply placing them on either side of your dough before rolling it out. This ensures that you maintain a consistent thickness across the dough without any guesswork. As you roll, the dowels will keep your dough at the perfect ¼-inch thickness!
- Keep an eye on the cookies as they bake. Shortbread cookies don’t spread much, so they’re easy to overbake if you’re not careful. Look for the edges to be just slightly golden.
- If the icing is too thick, add a little more half and half to thin it out. If it's too runny, add more powdered sugar to thicken it.
- Allow the icing to fully set before stacking or storing the cookies to avoid smudging.
FAQ
Yes, this recipe can be doubled easily. Simply multiply each ingredient by two and ensure your mixing bowl and equipment can handle the increased volume.
Absolutely! If using unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon of salt to the dough for a balanced flavor.
Yes, the dough can be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Be sure it’s wrapped tightly in plastic wrap to prevent drying out. If refrigerated for more than an hour, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before rolling, as it may be too firm to work with immediately.
Storage
Room temperature
Store these easy cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain their freshness.
Refrigerator
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week to keep them fresh.
Freezer
For freezer storage, place the cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag and store for up to 3 months.
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Recipe
Christmas Cut Out Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 ½ cups flour
For the icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons half and half
- ½ teaspoon clear vanilla
- Food coloring
Instructions
- In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 2 minutes.1 cup salted butter, softened
- Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.½ cup sugar
- Add the flour and mix just until combined.2 ½ cups flour
- Transfer to a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a disc and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness, cut out in desired shape and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-28 minutes or until just starting to turn light brown around the edges.
- Allow cookies to cool on sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Combine icing ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Divide into two bowls, add food coloring and mix well.2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons half and half, ½ teaspoon clear vanilla, Food coloring
- Dip tops of cookies into the icing, allow excess icing to drip off, flip cookies over and sprinkle with Christmas themed sprinkles. Allow the icing to set for several hours.
Nutrition Information
Please note that these nutrition facts are approximations and may not be entirely precise.
Ashlyn Meredith says
We love these festive cookies, especially when we can leave some for Santa!