Shortbread Cookies

Made with only three ingredients these Shortbread Cookies are a buttery, melt in your mouth cookie that's made even more delicious by dipping in melted chocolate.  Let me show you how to make another one of my favorite Easy Cookie Recipes.

These shortbread cookies are great all year round. I like to bake these as Christmas Cookies and because of their heart shapes, for Valentine's Day Recipes.

This is a recipe I have been making for YEARS. They're very easy to make and everyone loves them. Shortbread cookies hold up well if you're planning on giving them as gifts too. 

Like all the recipes found on my site, this is one of my easy KitchenAid mixer recipes. I love how fast this recipe comes together.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Affiliate Disclosure:  This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, click here.

• Measuring cups
• Parchment Baking Sheets
• Rolling pin
• Heart shaped cookie cutter

More InformationMore InformationMore InformationMore InformationMore Information

Main Ingredients Needed

Exact measurements are listed below in the recipe card. Make sure you scroll down to print and save the recipe for later!

• 3 sticks of butter softened (1 ½ cups)
• Confectioner's sugar
• Vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• Candy melts - if you choose to dip the cookies in melted chocolate, which I highly recommend. 

Step-by-Step Directions

Step 1 | Make the Cookie Dough Batter

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter, confectioner's sugar and vanilla until they are just combined.
• Now, we need to add the flour, a little at a time until all is added. Then mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. You'll know the dough is ready when you can make a small disc in your hands with the dough and it doesn't fall apart. 

Step 2 | Chill the Cookie Dough

• Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface and shape into 2 flat discs. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 to 60 minutes. You can even chill the dough overnight or freeze it.   

Step 3 | How to Roll out the Cookie Dough

• Roll out the dough on a floured surface into ½ inch thickness. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, begin to cut out shapes.
• Place the cut out shapes onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are beginning to brown slightly. 

Baking Tip: Using a dough scraper helps you lift the heart shaped cutouts without risk of breaking them.

How to Dip in Melted Chocolate

• Now comes the fun part! Let's make these cookies even more delicious by dipping one part of them in melted chocolate. You can use chocolate bark or candy melts to dip the cookies in. 
• Melt the chocolate according to the package directions. 
• Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before dipping half the cookie into melted chocolate.
• You can even dip the cookie into chopped walnuts, colored sprinkles. chopped peppermint candies immediately after dipping them in the melted chocolate. I like to sometimes drizzle melted white chocolate on top of the cookies! 
• Place the cookies on a piece of wax paper to completely harden before storing in plastic containers. 

Frequently Asked Recipe Questions

Ready for More Christmas Cookie Recipes?

These cookie recipes will be great for hosting a cookie exchange, give away cookies as gifts or just bake for your own family. Check out my Amazon Christmas Shop for ideas on how to package food gifts.

• Almond Spritz Cookies Recipe I love spritz cookies and these sound yummy.
• Chocolate Crinkles
• Ginger Snowball Cookies
• Candy Cane Sugar Cookies
• Classic Oatmeal Cookies
• Freezer Friendly Slice and Bake Shortbread Cookies
• Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
• Gingersnap Cookies
• Chunky Peanut Butter Cookies
• Vanilla Chocolate Slice and Bake Cookies
• Italian Ricotta Christmas Cookies – A Family Tradition

📖 Recipe Card

Lois

Shortbread Cookies

4.20 from 5 votes

Shortbread Cookies in heart shapes are buttery, melt in your mouth cookie that’s made even more delicious by dipping in melted chocolate.  Let me show you how to make this classic holiday cookie. 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chill Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings: 3 dozen cookies

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Calories: 126

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• 3 sticks of butter softened 1 ½ cups
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups flour
• Candy Melts - to dip the cookies in.

Get ingredients with

Get Recipe Ingredients

Cooking for More (or Less?)Scale this recipe up or down. Adjust the number of servings above to automatically update ingredient amounts.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• Candy Melts 
• KitchenAid Mixer
• Stainless Steel Wire Cooling Rack 

Method

 

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla until they are just combined and fluffy.
2. Add the flour, a little at a time until it is all combined.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl onto a floured surface and shape into 2 flat discs. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 to 60 minutes. You can even chill the dough overnight or freeze it. 
4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into ½ inch thickness. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, begin to cut out shapes. Place the cut out shapes onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
5. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are beginning to brown slightly. 
6. Cool completely before dipping half the cookie into melted chocolate then dip the cookie into chopped walnuts, colored sprinkles or chopped peppermint candies.  
7. Place the cookies on a piece of wax paper to completely harden before storing in plastic containers. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 126kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 73mgSugar: 3g

Notes

• Follow the directions on the back of the package for melting the chocolate.
• Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before dipping half the cookie into melted chocolate. You can even dip the cookie into chopped walnuts, colored sprinkles. chopped peppermint candies immediately after dipping them in the melted chocolate. I like to sometimes drizzle melted white chocolate on top of the cookies! 

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

This recipe has been updated since it first appeared in 2013 with new photos and a new printable recipe card that includes nutritional information. I hope you enjoy the updates as much as I enjoyed working on them!