This simple and satisfying, melt in your mouth shortbread cookies recipe you'll quite likely find irresistible!
Prep time: PT15M
Cook time: PT20M
Total time: PT35M
Rating
4.98 stars (5351 reviews)
Keywords
pecan cookies, pecan shortbread cookies, shortbread cookies
Ingredients
10 tbsp unsalted butter (unsalted butter, at room temperature 142g)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
Categories
Dessert
Cuisine
British
Scottish
Steps
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and vanilla extract until creamed.
Add confectioners sugar and salt; mix until combined.
Scrape bowl down and add flour while beating on low. Scrape bowl once more and mix until combined.
Shape the dough into a rectangular prism, wrap in plastic and chill until firm. At least an hour.
Preheat oven to 350F (177C). Use a sharp knife to cut 1/2 inch thick slices
Place slices, spaced at least an inch apart onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Use a fork or skewer to indent a pattern onto the top.
Bake for about 10 minutes, rotating baking sheet in the oven halfway through.
Transfer to a wire sheet to cool.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 31 g
Calories: 168 kcal
Carbohydrates: 18.3 g
Protein: 1.6 g
Fat: 9.8 g
Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
Cholesterol: 13.6 mg
Sodium: 109 mg
Sugar: 7 g
Unsaturated Fat: 6.1 g
Reviews
Tina on 2025-07-02 (5 stars): Delicious and so easy!
Christine Liggett on 2025-06-04 (5 stars): Delicious!!! Simple to make.
Sarah on 2025-05-14 (5 stars): PERFECT! It’s crumble, but melts in your mouth at the same time. Such an easy recipe and will be using this every time I make shortbread!
Rita Marasa on 2025-03-16 (5 stars): My go-to recipe for shortbread. I like to add some orange zest to the dough for that citrus kick. My daughter and grandchildren beg me to make them!
Helaine Green on 2025-01-23 (5 stars): This recipe is perfect! My shortbread cookies are perfect! I left them in for another 6 minutes, 3 min. then turned the pans around. They turned out lightly browned and crispy on the outside! Absolutely delicious!
Louise on 2025-01-18 (5 stars): My husband says these are just like his Scottish gran's. Enough s
Sarah on 2024-11-14 (5 stars): These were a breeze and absolutely melt-in-your-mouth delicious, as promised. I followed the directions for the recipe but cut mine a little thicker and baked seven minutes then flipped the pan around and seven more minutes. Gorgeous color and texture!
When they were fresh out of the oven and still very hot I took the sides of two straight knives and lightly tapped/squeezed the edges and ends of each cookie for a more sharper edged look. I wanted them to look more like the Walker brand shortbread biscuits and it worked like a charm.
This recipe is going in my favorites. Only double it if you can afford to eat two batches of cookies in one evening! They’re delicious!
Toni on 2024-06-05 (5 stars): These are just wonderful. Simple ingredients, versatile, and so delicious! Can't wait to eat these with coffee!
Maia on 2024-03-16 (5 stars): Beautiful cookies! Made a double batch, great with hot chocolate.
jessica on 2024-01-30 (5 stars): WOW --- melt in your mouth is an understatement!
I tried to shape the dough log into like a heart - but it really didn't work too well. LOL.
I love how perfect yours show in the photo. I need practice, I guess... and I needed to give the cookies more room to spread.. :)
thank you...so delicious.
rosie paschall on 2021-04-07 (5 stars): Absolutely gorgeous, I have made these many times, today with finely chopped hazelnuts. They are lovely half dipped in chocolate, or double the recipe and add cocoa to the butter and make layers of alternating flavors, there is so much you can do with these. Thank you so much for the best cookies I have ever made.
Kim on 2020-12-24 (5 stars): These cookies are sooo easy to make and taste amazing! This is the best recipe I have made for shortbread. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Ella on 2020-12-23 (5 stars): If you cut them 1/4" and were happy with the results, then that is the perfect thickness for you. 1/2" works well too, or anywhere in between. There isn't a right or wrong here, just personal preference. Personally I would not go thinner than 1/4" or thicker than 1/2" but within that range it's all good! :)
Paula on 2020-12-21 (5 stars): I just made this recipe today. Very good! Question: the instructions say to cut 1/2" thickness, but I wasn't sure about cutting so thick. I cut at 1/4" thickness and got 16 cookies, as the recipe says it makes. What is the correct thickness for the quantity written?
Mithila on 2020-09-27 (5 stars): I made this yesterday and they turned out amazing! I had to bake it for a few more minutes to get the perfect color and I left the 2nd batch in the oven for 15 mins after turning it off and got an amazing crispy biscuit!!
Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Barb on 2020-09-25 (5 stars): This is an awesome shortbread cookie! I have made it so many times. Everyone loves these cookies. My Scottish mother-in-law would be proud. Thank you for this recipe. I can't tell you how many times I have made these but let's just say many many times. So delish!!! So easy to make.
Marie on 2020-09-07 (5 stars): Thank you, this will be a hand-me-down cookie recipe to my future grandchildren :-) The cookies are absolutely delicious and my husband just can't get enough. Next time I will add pecan nuts!
Bethany on 2020-09-01 (5 stars): I love how easily this recipe comes together. I put the cookies in the freezer straight out of the oven, and had melt-in-my-mouth shortbread it’s my tea in minutes. It also makes just enough for one pan of cookies, keep-in the process quick and simple.
Jaime on 2020-08-31 (5 stars): Delicious!
Swayamsiddha on 2020-08-29 (5 stars): I tried to this today and it was really yummy and the most easiest cookie....
Though I didn't had a sharp knife so they didn't look so perfect like yours....but i managed to impress everyone from my family... Thanks John for such nice recipe....