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Two fabulous Irish Shortbread recipes you really don't want to live without. You're going to love our classic Irish Shortbread and our whimsical Leprechaun Shortbread Bites. They both have free printable labels for gifting!
These two Irish Shortbread recipes are both easy one-bowl, no-mixer recipes that everyone needs in their St. Patrick's Day celebration arsenal. These treats are great to enjoy yourself with a glass of cold milk or a steaming cup of coffee or tea. Each one also makes a delicious dessert paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Lastly, these cookies are wonderful treats to share with friends, neighbors, teachers, co-workers, etc. We are offering free printable labels for each to dress up your gifts and make them super festive.
The first recipe we're sharing today is our Classic Irish Shortbread Cookies. These melt-in-your-mouth, crisp sweet treats are loved by young, old and everyone in between. They are beyond delicious!
We make them all year round in a zillion different shapes and variations but, during the month of March, we love using a shamrock-shaped cookie cutter to celebrate all things Irish.
Giving these Irish Shortbread Cookies away is even more fun now as we recently created a colorful (green, of course!) label to adorn our gifts.
We love to share our free printable labels with our readers. If you'd like to receive these labels, simply go to the Irish Shortbread post and scroll to the bottom where you'll find the comment section. Just let us know you'd like the labels and we'll email them to you, along with instructions on how to use them and links for any boxes, bags and/or ribbons we feature in the post.
Oh, and if you're intimidated by cookies that need to be rolled out, no worries! We share lots of tips and tricks for perfect rolled cookies. We've also recently created a video to demonstrate exactly how it's done. Check it out:
The second Irish shortbread cookie recipe we're sharing today is our whimsical Leprechaun Shortbread Bites. These crisp, buttery confections are super easy to put together, again with just one bowl and no mixer necessary. The dough is simply pressed into a pan and sprinkled with the colorful nonpareils then refrigerated briefly to firm it up a bit. After it's chilled, turn the dough out onto a work surface and cut it into bite-size squares.
After another short stint in the fridge and your little Leprechaun bites are ready to for the final magic of the oven. Your home will be wafting with a sweet, delicious aroma, like a mystical little Irish bakeshop. All that's left is to pour yourself (and all your leprechaun friends) a tall glass of milk and enjoy this fabulous treat. I do dare you to eat just one though!
These fun little Irish Shortbread cookies also come with free printable labels so they're perfect for brightening someone's day.
Again, simply let us know at the bottom of the Leprechaun Shortbread Bites post that you'd like to receive the labels and our little Irish elf (aka, my daughter-in-law, Lindsay) will get them off to you.
So there you have it, two of the most delicious Irish Shortbread Cookies you'll ever have the pleasure of meeting... or greeting... or eating... or giving away!
"May the road rise up to meet you,
may the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
the rain fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand."
(An ancient Irish blessing)
Thought for the  day:
The Lord is my strength and my song;
He has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise Him-
my father's God, and I will exalt Him.
Exodus 15:2
What we're listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoy any of these recipes, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It's so helpful to other readers to hear your results, adaptations and ideas for variations.
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I love those labels for the shortbread cookies. Could you email them to me please?
Sure, Erin!
Please send me the labels for the shortbread bites. Thank you!
Sure, Peggy!
These look divine! Please send labels.
The Irish Shortbread looks delicious . I’m looking forward to making this recipe. Please send the labels; I’ll be gifting these a lot.
Thanks in advance,
Lynn
I would like some of your labels please
Just read this recipe and sounds terrific. I would love to have the labels as well. Thank you
I meant the green shortbread bites.
Hi Chris.
I sent an email yesterday regarding the shamrock cookies and some issues I had. Would appreciate your suggestions as to why mine were so crumbly. Thank you.
Hi Judy, so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. It's difficult to say why your dough was crumbly without having been right there in the kitchen with you. The only thing I can think of is that there was too much flour. The best way to measure flour is to spoon it into the cup and then level the top with a knife. You might want to try going with a little less flour and then add more if needed. The dough will be a little crumbly after you've mixed everything together but the crumbs should be big and come together if you squeeze them with your hand. If it's too crumbly, you could knead the dough a few times on the counter before adding it to the pan. Also it helps to drop chunks of dough all around the pan, then press it in, rather than adding all of the dough at once. Hope this helps!
Would love the labels as well to prepare for St Patrick's day.
Love you recipes & the devotional as well. Thank you
Thanks, Mariana 🥰 Just sent off the labels.
Thank you for the cute labels.
You're welcome, Mary Jane!
Please send the labels for the shortbread cookies. Even though I'm Scottish, I'll deign to make some Irish shorty for friends of that ilk!
Haha! Love it! Sending them now, Emily!
I love the Scriptures and inspirational quotes!!
Thanks so much, Mary!
Hi, I am loving all your recipes I have made so far. Please send the label for the leprechaun bites. Thank you so much!
Thanks, Chris! Happy to send them.
Oh my gosh those labels are so, so cute! I would love to make some of these shortbread cookies and use your labels to gift them to some Irish friends. Please send both. Thank you in advance and Happy St. Patrick's Day to you and yours!
They will love them! Sending both sets now, Jackie!
Chris, Oops, Sorry for the 2 emails. Would you please send me the beautiful 2 labels for both Irish cookies. Thanks, Lynne
No problem, Lynne! Just sent them.
Please forward labels for the cookies. Thank you!
Sure, sending them now, Sandra!
Kindly sent me the labels for both the Irish cookies. Once again my co-workers will be delighted.
Anne-Louise Hill
Happy to send them, Anne-Louise!
I'd love the cute labels for shortbread shamrock cookies--thank you!
Sure, sending them now, Summer!
Yes! Please send me both labels Thank you so much for always sharing your beautiful labels! So much appreciated.
Tealightfully yours,
Gail đź’ś
You're welcome, Gail! Just sent the labels.
Please send the PDF labels for these delicious cookies. Thank you.
Hi Liz, happy to send them!
Thank you so much for offering labels for the treats . . . I would like a set of labels. I can't wait to make the cookies!
Wendy
Hope you enjoy them, Wendy! The labels should be in your email
I’d love the labels and the source for your boxes as well… thank you!!
Just sent them, Gayle. Enjoy!
Hi. Thank you for always offering such cute labels to give with the yummy treats we can make from your recipes.
I’d love the labels please.
Sure, sending them now, Kathleen!
Hi Chris. I made these last year to rave reviews. Will be making them again next week. Please send the pdf for the labels. Thank you for sharing these with us
Hi Bernice, just sent you both sets of labels.