16 Holiday-Worthy Shortbread Recipes to Sweeten the Season
The holiday season is all about cozy moments, warm kitchens, and treats meant to be shared and few desserts capture that spirit better than buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. These festive favorites and creative twists are perfect for gifting, entertaining, or simply enjoying with a mug of something warm.
These recipes will bring a little extra sweetness to every celebration.
Hildabrötchen (Spitzbuben Shortbread Cookie With Jam)
Hildabrotchen or Spitzbuben are traditional German Christmas cookies, known for their delightful filling of sweet currant jam. The dough is incredibly easy to work with, making the baking process enjoyable and resulting in beautifully crafted cookies perfect for the holiday season.
Get the Recipe: Hildabrötchen (Spitzbuben Shortbread Cookie With Jam).
Ischler
These Ischler Törtchen are a decadent treat featuring rich chocolate-covered almond shortbread cookies filled with a sweet and tangy apricot jam. A cherished family favorite, these vintage Christmas cookies bring a touch of old-world charm to your holiday table, making them a beloved tradition that’s both delicious and nostalgic.
Get the Recipe: Ischler.
Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies
Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies are delightfully buttery lemon cookies with a hint of lavender. Simply make the cookie dough, roll, slice, and bake! They are delicate in flavor and texture and perfect for hosting and gifting.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Lavender Shortbread Cookies.
Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
The holidays are prime cookie baking season and you can’t go wrong with buttery shortbread cookies. A generous dose of dried cranberries and chopped pistachios add a festive twist to your traditional shortbread.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies.
Lemon Rosemary Shortbread
Herbed Lemon Shortbread are rich and tender shortbread cookies delicately flavored with lemon zest and fresh herbs. Enjoy them with afternoon tea or as a unique addition to Christmas or holiday cookie platters.
Get the Recipe: Lemon Rosemary Shortbread.
Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
Buttery, bright, juicy, and so easy to make, these Strawberry Shortcake Cookies are a great recipe any time of year!
Get the Recipe: Strawberry Shortbread Cookies.
Three-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
These three-ingredient shortbread cookies are sweet, buttery, and delightful crumbly! Made with just butter, sugar, and flour, these classic cookies are as perfect for your holiday parties as they are for anytime of the year.
Get the Recipe: Three-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies Recipe.
Buttery Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies
This cinnamon shortbread cookie recipe has got you covered. With this cinnamon shortbread recipe, you can have delicious, melt-in-your-mouth goodness on a plate.
Get the Recipe: Buttery Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies.
Perfectly Spiced Chai Shortbread
Chai Shortbreads are buttery, slice-and-bake cookies flavored with black tea leaves and Chai spice. The recipe makes two logs of dough that you can keep in the fridge or freezer until you have time to bake them.
Get the Recipe: Perfectly Spiced Chai Shortbread.
Easy Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies
Easy maple pecan shortbread cookies that you slice and bake! I roll the log in coarse sugar and pecans for added texture. Trust me, these pecan shortbreads are so easy to make that you’ll make them all the time!
Get the Recipe: Easy Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies.
Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Learn how to make perfectly light and buttery whipped shortbread cookies with this easy recipe. These melt-in-your-mouth cookies need just five ingredients.
Get The Recipe: Whipped Vanilla Shortbread Cookies.
Christmas Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
Christmas Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies, with Buttercream Icing, are colorful, sweet, buttery shortbread thumbprint cookies, covered in red and green sprinkles and topped with either red, green, or white buttercream frosting!
Get the Recipe: Christmas Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies.
Cranberry Orange and Pecan Shortbread Cookies
These slice-and-bake cookies are flavored with orange zest, vanilla, cranberries, and pecans. They’re very quick and easy, and you can even freeze the dough. They make the ideal holiday cookie!
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Orange and Pecan Shortbread Cookies.
Easy Embossed Rolling Pin Shortbread Cookie
Transform your kitchen with this easy embossed rolling pin shortbread cookie recipe! they taste amazing and have a beautiful pattern.
Get the Recipe: Easy Embossed Rolling Pin Shortbread Cookie.
Pecan Shortbread Bars
These Chocolate Maple Pecan Shortbread Bars are perfectly sweet and salty, which is essential in any good dessert! The pecan shortbread bars are made without corn syrup and instead sweetened with maple syrup, which adds tasty hints of caramel and vanilla.
Get the Recipe: Pecan Shortbread Bars.
Empire Biscuits
Empire Biscuits are a delicious and popular biscuit or cookie made of two shortbread cookies sandwiched around a generous portion of jam filling, then topped with icing and a cherry.
Get the Recipe: Empire Biscuits.
