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Easy Easter Shortbread Cookies

Spring Shortbread Cookies

These easy Spring Shortbread Cookies are crisp, buttery, delicious and have a simple decorating technique that's fun to do with kids!

Course Dessert/Cookies
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Chilling Time 1 hour
Total Time 44 minutes
Servings 20
Calories 190 kcal
Author Chris Scheuer

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 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

For the glaze;

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons half and half or milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Place cutouts in the refrigerator for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

  8. 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.

Recipe Notes

See Café Tips above for lots of extra tips and instructions.

Recipe makes 18-20 3-inch cookies.

Nutrition Facts
Spring Shortbread Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 190 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 25mg8%
Sodium 141mg6%
Potassium 18mg1%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Sugar 14g16%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 295IU6%
Calcium 8mg1%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.