Christmas is almost here! If you’re searching for a last-minute cookie recipe, you’ve come to the right place. Classic melt in your mouth shortbread comes together quickly and is guaranteed to be a hit with Santa (or on the family baking tray).
Soft Shortbread Cookies for Christmas
I’ve tried a lot of shortbread recipes over the years, and this one is my favourite. Once you try a cornstarch-based recipe, you won’t go back. The cornstarch ones give a much smoother texture and the dough is easier to work with.
Word to the wise–do not substitute margarine for butter. The recipe will not work. Ask me how I know. . . .
Santa wants these classic shortbread cookies when he stops by your house.Click To Tweet
I wanted to share a funny story with you about these shortbread cookies. If you don’t like stories, just skip to the end of the post for the recipe. Here it goes:
One year my family spent Christmas in Jamaica meeting our new in-laws. It was a wonderful, relaxing vacation, but I was missing North American Christmas just a bit. So we decided that we would make our new Jamaican family some of our favourite Christmas baking.
I wanted to make these shortbread cookies because 1. everyone loves shortbread. 2. The ingredients are really easy to find.
What I didn’t know, is that Jamaican butter is vastly different than what we are used to in North America. The increased humidity and high temperatures aren’t in this recipe’s favour either.
Melt in Your Mouth Shortbread Cookies. . . not Melt in the Cookie Sheet
As you might have guessed, the recipe was a total flop. Instead of the beautiful shortbread cookies you see in these pictures, I ended up with some sort of runny, melty mess that was NOT suitable to give to my new relatives.
I was so sad, so I put them in a bowl-of-shame and forgot about them. I’d just eat them later myself if I was craving something sweet.
The next day when family came to visit, someone put them out on the table for everyone to eat. I was mortified!!
I shouldn’t have been, because our new family loved them and ate every last one. They had never tasted anything like it and thought it was really good.
So take heart. Even if you somehow totally mess up this recipe in another country, your guests will still like these cookies.
Yields 48 small cookies
10 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup corn starch,
- 1 cup icing sugar,
- 2 cups flour,
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients and spoon on to a cookie sheet.
- Optional: chill for 30 minutes and roll out for a cut cookie
- Apply sprinkles or cherries before baking
- Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Cookies should have the barest hint of light brown at the edges. Makes 48 small cookies
Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Looking for more Christmas baking to round out your tray? Try these options!
Chocolate Covered Rice Krispie
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Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots. She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden. She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.
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