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These delicious Spring Shortbread Cookies are crisp, sweet and buttery. And there's a simple decorating technique that's fun to do with kids!
I love the versatility of shortbread and these Spring Shortbread Cookies are one more example of the myriad of ways this simple dough can be used. With Easter right around the corner and vibrant spring exploding all around, they're also a beautiful, delicious way to celebrate the season.
Scott and I are spending ten days in Austin, Texas. A 3-day blog conference brought us here, but we decided to extend our trip and are spending those extra days exploring (and eating through!) this fun and vibrant city. We've seen spring literally burst while we're here and have enjoyed lots of gorgeous walks along the Colorado River that winds its way like a silver-blue ribbon through the heart of Austin.
I thought it might be fun, for those of you from other parts of the country, to see what spring looks like in Austin. Here are a few pictures that Scott captured during our first few days in this delightful city of one million.
And speaking of spring, these Spring Shortbread Cookies are a perfect way to herald the arrival of the lovely season.
The cookie recipe requires one-bowl, no-mixer and the icing technique is as easy as decorating cookies can be. A simple dip into a 3-ingredient icing along with a dusting of sprinkles is all it takes.
If these Spring Shortbread Cookies look vaguely familiar, they're modeled after my Christmas Shortbread Cookies that were super popular over the holiday season. The new recipe uses the same easy dipping technique with a sprinkle topping.
How to keep cookies from spreading in the oven
It's always disappointing when you take the time to make cutout cookies and they spread in the oven and become almost unrecognizable. This recipe is a winner in that the cookies will keep their shape after being baked. There are a few secrets to crisp edge cookies. First, a small portion of the flour is replaced with corn starch. A quarter cup, in this case, makes all the difference in the world. The second secret is to chill the cutout cookies before baking for at least an hour. It's fine to chill them longer, even overnight. These easy little tips will yield crisp clean edges and perfectly shaped cookies.
Change out the shape, color, sprinkles, etc.
I used an egg-shaped cookie cutter for my cookies, but a circle or flower-shaped cutter would be pretty too. And while I'll be serving them for Easter, they'd also be perfect for a spring shower, Mother's Day celebration or graduation party. Just change the icing color and sprinkles to match your occasion!
Café Tips for making these Spring Shortbread Cookies
- This dough does not have to be chilled before rolling, but be sure to allow time to chill the cut-out dough before baking.
- These cookies don't require a mixer and can be mixed up in minutes. The only secret is to make sure the butter is very soft. You can achieve this by allowing it to sit at room temperature for several hours. If it's still somewhat firm, a brief stint in the microwave will work wonders. Use the lowest possible power setting (10%) and start with 30 seconds. Every microwave is different and it could take as long as 3-4 minutes to soften a cold stick of butter.
- Don't roll these Spring Shortbread Cookies too thin or they'll be difficult to dip into the glaze when decorating. I roll mine to a ⅜-inch thickness. You might be better at rolling dough to an even thickness than I am. I'm pretty miserable at it with one side thick and the other too thin. This reasonably priced rolling pin is a super-easy way to achieve the same perfect thickness in all your cookies. It has 1/16, ⅙, ¼, and ⅜-inch removable bands, making it easy to roll your dough to a uniform thickness. (The rolling pin would also make a wonderful gift for any bakers you know!)
- A few tips on rolling and cutting out cookies:
- Keep your work surface and rolling pin lightly dusted with flour.
- I like to also rub the cutting edge of my cookie cutter in a little flour in between each cookie.
- Press fairly firmly when cutting out the cookies, but don't twist the cookie cutter as the shape will get distorted.
- I like to use a thin-bladed metal spatula to transfer the cookies from my work surface to the pan.
- If you don't have room in your refrigerator to chill the cookies on two sheet pans, just transfer all of them to one pan after cutting. Then later, once they're chilled, you can divide them between the two pans for baking.
- When re-rolling the scraps, incorporate as little flour on the work surface as possible.
- Occasionally some of the cookies will be slightly puffed on the top when removed from the oven. You can give them a nice flat top by pushing on the top gently with a metal spatula.
- Use any type of sprinkles you like for these Spring Shortbread Cookies. I really like the tiny round balls called nonpareils. For these cookies, I mixed pastel nonpareils with jimmies and flower sprinkles. Have fun mixing and matching!
- In addition to online, I find pretty sprinkles at Homegoods and TJMaxx. Walmart also usually has a nice seasonal collection, as well as the big box craft stores.
- Switch out the flavoring in the glaze to lemon, mint, almond, etc. Just substitute any flavor of pure extract for the vanilla in this recipe.
These easy Spring Shortbread Cookies are crisp, buttery, delicious and have a simple decorating technique that's fun to do with kids!
- 8 ounces very soft butter 2 sticks
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons half and half or milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
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Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
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Place very soft butter in a medium-size mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula until nice and smooth. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix together by hand for about 30 seconds, until fluffy and well blended.
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Add the flour, cornstarch and salt. Stir until flour is completely incorporated. The dough will look a little shaggy. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and press dough in a ball. Knead a few times until fairly smooth then form into a ball again and press with your hands into a flat disk.
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On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a ⅜-inch thickness. Keep work surface, dough and rolling pin lightly dusted with flour. Cut desired shapes and place on prepared pans. Re-roll scraps as many times as needed to use up the dough.
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Place cutouts in the refrigerator for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
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When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375˚F. Remove cookies from refrigerator and bake for 12-14 minutes or until just beginning to turn golden at the edges. Rotate pans halfway through for even browning. Cool completely before icing.
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For the glaze, combine powdered sugar, half and half and vanilla extract in a medium-size bowl. Mix until smooth. The glaze should be thick, but pourable. Add a little more half and half if too thick. Add a drop or two of food color if desired and stir well. Transfer the glaze to a shallow bowl.
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To glaze the cookies, hold onto the edges of a cookie and dip the top surface into the glaze, being sure the entire surface of the cookie touches the glaze. Pull cookie up and out of the glaze. Allow excess glaze to drip back into the bowl. When glaze stops dripping, quickly flip the cookie right side up and give it a gentle jiggle to allow the glaze to flow evenly over the surface then sprinkle with jimmies, nonpareils, sprinkles, etc. Repeat with remaining cookies. Allow glaze to dry for at least 30 minutes.
See Café Tips above for lots of extra tips and instructions.
Recipe makes 18-20 3-inch cookies.
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Kay says
This was such an easy cookie dough recipe! I let them chill overnight, and they did not spread at all when baking. Quick glaze was perfect, and they are now ready for the kiddos for Easter. thank you so much for a wonderful, simple treat!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Awesome! Thank you for letting us know, Kay!
AJ says
Lovely cookies! Can you tell me which color did you use for the icing on the cookies. They are perfect for Easter!
Carole Boswell says
Turquoise gel food colouring as mentioned in another recipe
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
Thanks, Carole!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi AJ, I used Witon Teal food color: https://amzn.to/402ckTk
Just a little at a time on the end of a toothpick to achieve a pretty pastel color.
AJ says
Thank you Chris
Victoria Love says
Hi Chris,
I made a double batch of Easter Bunny shortbread cookies yesterday. They are on their way to our grandcritters in Houston as we speak. I love this recipe - they just melt in your mouth - and the recipients always give them rave reviews. I have made them at least a half dozen times! My adaptations are to substitute almond extract for vanilla, and to decorate them with an almond flavored Royal icing, which gives them a little more strength for packing and shipping. They usually make the trip intact, yay! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe.
Best regards from the GA coast,
Victoria
Chris Scheuer says
I'm sure they will love them, Victoria! Thanks for sharing your results, that's great to know!
Kimberly says
I made these for Easter. My dough was a little runny so I just kept adding flour and cornstarch till it got better.
And they were a hit. All my friends loved them. I haven’t baked in years. Super easy!!! Thank you. They were the best sugar cookies ever. The icing was perfect. It as good as professional cookies
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Kimberly. I'm happy you had a successful venture back into the baking world!
Kris Griffith says
I'm wondering if this recipe works well doubled. I'm assuming it would, but just curious if you have done that.
Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kris, yes! I double this recipe all the time! Enjoy!
Teresa says
I have made these numerous times and they are always spot on! Sometimes I glaze them, but most of the time I just enjoy them plain, with a cup of tea. I love that these are so easy and quick and that there are so many different ways to personalize them!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your review, Teresa! A cup of tea and a buttery shortbread cookie is about as good as it gets, this side of heaven 🙂
Kathy says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Kathy, I use salted butter.
Laura Leigh says
Do I omit the salt since I’m using salted butter?
Chris Scheuer says
No, I actually always use salted butter and that small amount of salt gives the perfect amount of flavor.
Karen says
I attempted these cookies today and the dough was so soft I had to knead in flour to roll it out. Even after 2 hours in the refrigerator they spread like crazy. I had to go back and make a batch of my go-to sugar cookies to make my Easter cookies for tomorrow. :-(.
Chris Scheuer says
Hmmm, that's so sad Karen. I'm sorry that you wasted good ingredients. I've made these cookies so many times and the thing I love about them is that they don't spread. Not sure what the problem could have been. Hope your cookies turned out great! Happy Easter!
Ann says
Perhaps it was due to not enough flour - a cup of flour varies depending on how it is measured. Chris - could you share your method for measuring flour? Do you spoon the flour into the measuring cup or do you fluff up the flour in the bag and scoop out with the measuring cup?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ann,
That's a good thought.
I almost always whisk my flour and then scoop it up and level it with a knife. When I'm making certain breads I do weigh it. I think weighing is much more accurate but sadly, that's not the way the vast majority of cooks in this country measure.
Ann says
I made these cookies tonight, using your flour measuring method, and they turned out amazing!!! Pretty and yummy. The cookies are for a bake sale that will occur in about 1.5 days...I will put them in an airtight container, but should I put them in the fridge or leave them at room temperature until the bake sale? Also, can I stack the cookies on top of one another in the container, without damaging the glaze?
Thanks
Ann
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! I'm so happy you had good results with these cookies Ann! I would probably just pop them in the freezer for 24 hours. You can freeze them on a cookie sheet and then once they're frozen, stack them in a container. When you remove them from the freezer, just put them back on a cookie sheet to thaw. I've had good results with freezing them. They stay nice and fresh.
If you don't want to freeze them, I would let them get nice and dry before stacking them.
Ann says
Thanks, Chris. Will the cookies keep in an airtight container at room temp for 1-2 days? Or should I put them in the fridge (freezer is probably not an option because I have to hand them in to the bake sale coordinator tomorrow (Fri) morning for the bake sale that will happen on Saturday...not sure if she has enough freezer room or can manage the logistics of freezing/thawing)... I would be grateful for your advice.
Chris Scheuer says
I think they'll be just fine in an airtight container at room temp. I would probably put parchment paper between them.
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Scott is making me yearn for Spring, but then again it might be these cookies!
Sandra L Garth says
Austin sounds like a great place to visit and enjoy the food. I would also enjoy a few of these pretty cookies with a cup of tea. Have a Happy Easter!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Austin is fun, isn't it? I remember it back in the 80's when it was still a bit sleepy, but really dynamic at the same time. Anyway, speaking of dynamic, these cookies are! They look wonderful, and I love shortbread. Perfect for me -- thanks!
Susan says
I am longing to see some of those blooms and buds here! I am color-starved 🙂 I absolutely love your Easter egg shortbread cookings, Chris!
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
These are so pretty Chris! And shortbread is my favorite kind of cookie! Thanks for sharing the gorgeous photos from your trip! I'll need to visit Austin!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
First, I absolutely love these pretty and festive cookies! And I'm totally jealous of your Austin adventure. I would have loved to go, but it's a destination that costs an arm and a leg to fly to from Canada. I'll just have to live through your beautiful photos 🙂 Enjoy your trip!
Laura | Tutti Dolci says
These are so pretty and festive for Easter!
Liz says
Simple iced cookies make my family very happy! And such a fun Easter treat. Enjoy your time in Austin!!!
Ginny Hartzler says
Scott's talents as a photographer continue to amaze me. His photos are gorgeous!!! And how he even captured those bridge shadow lines. He has made Austin look like an Eden. So I know you have to be having so much fun. the cookies are perfectly beautiful. One could cut them into ovals and they would be Easter egg cookies, too!
Tricia @ Saving Room for Dessert says
So pretty Chris - just absolutely perfect for spring and Easter! Love Scott's photos- looks like a lovely place. I've never been but I hear the food truck BBQ is great! Enjoy 🙂
sue | theviewfromgreatisland says
GORGEOUS! Love the color, these are just screaming spring! Pinning and sharing 🙂
Monique says
I follow some lovely Austin ..etc..Texas bloggers and it looks nothing short of botanical gardens right now tome in the tundra.
Dr Zhivago:(
Still snow..
I love these colors Chris..super sweet!Enjoy your time there.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
So seasonal and very beautiful! Happy Spring, Chris!