Vintage Shortbread Recipes That are Perfect for the Holidays (2025)

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Vintage Shortbread Recipes That are Perfect for the Holidays (1)Caroline StankoUpdated: Feb. 25, 2022

    There's no better way to celebrate Christmas than baking up a few dozen shortbread cookies. We've rounded-up our top 20 shortbread recipes so you can do searching for a recipe and more baking!

    1/20

    Shortbread

    I live in Missouri, but many of our family recipes come from New Zealand, where I lived as a youngster. I proudly claim a Down Under heritage! These special-occasion cookies bring back warm and sweet memories of my childhood, and I'm going to make sure they're passed on to the next generation in my family—no matter where they live. —A. Swenson, Camdenton, Missouri

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    2/20

    Taste of Home

    Shortbread Hearts

    These flaky cookies melt in your mouth. Dipped in chocolate, they look festive.—Barbara Birk, St. George, Utah

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    3/20

    Lemon Shortbread Trees

    Here's a fun holiday recipe children can help with. And no cookie cutters are needed! I just shape the dough into a triangular log, refrigerate it and cut it into tree-shaped slices to bake and decorate. Broken pretzel sticks form the tree trunks. —Phyllis Schmalz, Kansas City, Kansas

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    4/20

    Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies

    Whenever I visit friends in Lutsen, Minnesota, I make sure to buy maple syrup there because I think it's even better than in Quebec. These delicious cookies can be decorated with sprinkles but they're just fine as is.—Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario

    5/20

    Buttery 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies

    With only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire

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    6/20

    Cranberry Shortbread Stars

    My family loves shortbread and I love cranberries, so I decided to put the two together to make cranberry shortbread cookies. The star shape is a festive addition to my holiday cookie tray. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California

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    7/20

    Scottish Shortbread

    My mother, who is of Scottish heritage, passed this shortbread recipe, along with other favorite recipes, on to me. When I entered this treat at our local fair, it won a red ribbon. —Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba

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    8/20

    Whipped Shortbread

    These whipped shortbread cookies melt in your mouth. Mostly I make them for the holidays, but I'll also prepare them year-round for wedding showers and afternoon teas. —Jane Ficiur, Bow Island, Alberta

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    9/20

    Homemade Chocolate Shortbread

    This recipe has been in my files for a long time...probably from when I first learned to bake. Any chocolate lover will like these melt-in-your-mouth cookies. I make them year-round with variations. They're even richer with a thin coat of icing or as a sandwich cookie with frosting in the middle. —Sarah Bueckert, Austin, Manitoba

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    10/20

    11/20

    12/20

    13/20

    Shortbread Cutouts

    I found this recipe in a magazine over 30 years ago and have made these shortbread cutout cookies for Christmas ever since. They're an oh-so-simple recipe to whip up during the hectic holidays. —Jean Henderson, Montgomery, Texas

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    14/20

    Light and buttery, these delicate shortbread cookies are melt-in-your-mouth good. The coconut flavor makes them extra special. —Roberta Otto, Duluth, Minnesota

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    15/20

    Taste of Home

    Carrot Cake Shortbread

    I really love carrot cake and wanted to make a cookie that had the same flavors. These comforting cookies are just the ticket! Cinnamon, maple and vanilla make them perfect for the holidays. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

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    16/20

    Taste of Home

    Crisp Lemon Shortbread

    Fresh juice and zest pair up to give my buttery cookies a lemony pop. Sprinkle sugar on top for extra sparkle. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, Florida

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    17/20

    Chocolate Shortbread Trees

    You can use this rollout chocolate cookie dough to create all kinds of shapes and sizes, but I like to make trees because they are so easy to decorate. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri

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    18/20

    Scottish Shortbread Cookies

    This simple three-ingredient shortbread cookie recipe makes wonderfully rich, tender cookies. Serve them with fresh berries of the season for a nice, light dessert. You'll get miles of smiles when friends see these at an afternoon tea or a bridal shower. —Marlene Hellickson, Big Bear City, California

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    19/20

    Candy Cane Shortbread Bars

    I created these bars for my daughter, who loves peppermint. The buttery shortbread texture just melts in your mouth. They're a hit wherever I take them. —Susan Ciuffreda, Huntersville, North Carolina

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    20/20

    Taste of Home

    Shortbread Squares

    Here's a traditional shortbread recipe that's perfect with a cup of hot tea or coffee. It's a favorite during the holidays. —G. C. Mayhew, Grass Valley, California

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    Originally Published: December 12, 2017

    Vintage Shortbread Recipes That are Perfect for the Holidays (18)

    Caroline Stanko

    Caroline has been with Taste of Home for the past seven years, working in both print and digital. After starting as an intern for the magazine and special interest publication teams, Caroline was hired as the third-ever digital editor for Taste of Home. Since then, she has researched, written and edited content on just about every topic the site covers, including cooking techniques, buzzy food news, gift guides and many, many recipe collections. Caroline also acts as the editorial lead for video, working with the Test Kitchen, videographers and social media team to produce videos from start to finish.When she’s not tip-tapping on a keyboard, Caroline is probably mixing up a killer cocktail, reading a dog-eared library book or cooking up a multi-course feast (sometimes all at once). Though she technically lives in Milwaukee, there is a 50/50 chance Caroline is in Chicago or southwest Michigan visiting her close-knit family.

    Vintage Shortbread Recipes That are Perfect for the Holidays (2025)

    FAQs

    What is the secret of good shortbread? ›

    Shortbread has so few ingredients that you can't get away with cutting corners; good quality butter and sugar are essential, and plenty of them. Rice flour gives it that special sandy texture that sets it apart from the common biscuit, and a pinch of salt helps to balance that rich, delicious sweetness.

    What is the world's famous shortbread? ›

    Walker's Shortbread is honoured to carry a Royal Warrant, granted by Her Majesty the Queen, for the supply of Shortbread and Oatcakes. Walker's Shortbread is a gift fit for a king, and a treat befitting any special occasion.

    What's the difference between Scottish shortbread and regular shortbread? ›

    Traditional Scottish shortbread is a simple recipe made with sugar, butter, flour, and salt. Other shortbread styles will include leavening agents like baking powder and baking soda, which makes them crisp instead of crumbly like traditional Scottish shortbread.

    What are common mistakes when making shortbread? ›

    The most common mistakes when making shortbread are over-working the dough, and incorporating too much flour. The less you work the dough, the more crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth your shortbread cookies will be.

    What is the key to good shortbread? ›

    Tips To Make the Best Shortbread Cookies
    • Choose High Quality Butter. No matter what brand of butter you buy, if it's real butter, you can rest assured that it's the best. ...
    • Keep Ingredients Simple. ...
    • Add Flavor. ...
    • Don't Overwork. ...
    • Shape Dough. ...
    • Chill Before Baking. ...
    • Bake Until Golden. ...
    • Add Finishing Touches.

    Why poke holes in shortbread? ›

    The word "bread" comes from "biscuit bread" which was made from leftover bread dough that was sweetened and dried out in the oven to make biscuits. Why do you poke holes in shortbread? The holes allow the moisture to escape during baking and more even heat distribution. This helps dry out and crisp up the cookies.

    Why is it called millionaires shortbread? ›

    The name "millionaire's shortbread" appears to have originated in Scotland. The "millionaire" prefix to millionaire's shortbread or millionaires slice implies a level of decadence and wealth to the sweet treat, that it is an upgrade from regular shortbread.

    What is the best shortbread made in Scotland? ›

    Nevis Bakery's all butter, melt-in-the-mouth shortbread biscuits topped with sweet, crunchy demerara sugar. Winning 3 Gold stars and best Scottish Speciality at the Great Taste Awards in 2009. Made in the shadow of Ben Nevis near Fort William.

    What is the Scottish brand of shortbread? ›

    Explore and buy delicious all-butter shortbread biscuits from Walker's Shortbread. Delivering the best that Scotland has to offer across the world.

    What are the 3 traditional shapes of shortbread? ›

    There are 3 shapes: fingers, petticoat tails, and rounds

    Meet the 3 shortbread shapes: petticoat tails, rounds, and fingers (the most popular type). Although the clean, buttery flavour boosted shortbread to fame, recently bakers have added fruit, nuts, chocolate chip, and vanilla into the mix.

    Are shortcake cookies the same as shortbread? ›

    Shortbread is similar to shortcake but doesn't include baking powder. Lots of rich butter gives shortbread a high fat content, resulting in a fine, crumbly texture. Shortcake and shortbread biscuits are delicious on their own, with fruit and cream, or simply topped with a delicate dusting of sugar.

    Are danish butter cookies the same as shortbread? ›

    Are Danish butter cookies the same as shortbread cookies? Both shortbread cookies and Danish butter cookies are very similar in texture, taste and ingredients used. Like Danish butter cookies, shortbread cookies use a good amount of butter, but normally do not use a leavener, like egg or baking powder.

    Why is shortbread pricked with a fork? ›

    Remove the wrap if you've used it, then use a fork to prick ("dock") the dough all over; this allows any steam to escape, and prevents the shortbread from bubbling as it bakes. Prick the dough in a random pattern, or create a pretty design.

    What can go wrong when making shortbread? ›

    The key with shortbread is not to overhandle it. Make the dough exactly as instructed, but don't mess around making shapes or over rolling the dough - you will end up with delicious but tough biscuits. Stretching and pulling the dough activates the gluten in the flour, making chewy cookies and not crisp ones.

    What happens if you add too much butter to shortbread? ›

    The excess butter can cause the cookies to spread too thin , resulting in a flat and greasy cookie . It can also make the cookies overly rich and heavy , making them difficult to eat . In addition , too much butter can cause the cookies to burn easily , resulting in a bitter taste .

    Why do you put cornstarch in shortbread? ›

    Cornstarch provides the shortbread with structure, but its biggest job is keeping the cookies extra soft, tender, and light. I love adding a small amount to chocolate chip cookies too. Optional Coarse Sugar Topping: For an optional sparkly crunch on your shortbread wedges, add a sprinkle of coarse sugar before baking.

    What makes shortbread extra short? ›

    Shortbread is so named because of its crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word "short", as opposed to "long", or stretchy). The cause of this texture is its high fat content, provided by the butter. The short or crumbly texture is a result of the fat inhibiting the formation of long protein (gluten) strands.

    Why is Scottish shortbread so good? ›

    The high butter quantity in shortbread (one part sugar to two parts butter) gives it that delightfully crumbly feel. And also its name. This is because the old meaning of the world “short” reflects this crumbliness and so the name 'shortbread' stuck.

    How can you tell when shortbread is done? ›

    Since you will be cooking your shortbread in the lower third of the oven, you will get some top browning as the cookie bakes. The surface of the shortbread should be a toasty light brown when it is cooked. It should never appear raw or slightly opaque in the middle.

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