22 Shortbread Recipes Every Baker Has to Try (2024)

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Everyone loves these melt-in-your-mouth cookies. Discover our favorite shortbread recipes that will please all palates.

1/22

Scottish Shortbread

My mother, who is of Scottish heritage, passed this shortbread recipe, along with other favorite recipes, on to me. When I entered this treat at our local fair, it won a red ribbon. —Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba

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2/22

Lemon Shortbread Cookies

I received this recipe from my cousin who tried to duplicate cookies she loved from a restaurant. It was in a cookbook she made for the family for Christmas! —Lorie Miner, Kamas, Utah

3/22

Grandma’s Scottish Shortbread

My Scottish grandmother was renowned for her baking, and one of the highlights whenever we visited my grandparents was her bringing out the baking tin. Her shortbread cookies were my favorite, and now, whenever I make them, I remember her. This is not a thin, crispy dessert shortbread; it’s a deep bar that is best served with a cup of tea. —Jane Kelly, Wayland, Massachusetts

4/22

Chocolate Hazelnut Shortbread

We love hazelnut flavor and cookies that aren’t too sweet, so this recipe is perfect for us! If you like your cookies on the sweeter side, bake up these crisp beauties and slather some Nutella between two to create an extra-special sandwich cookie. —Karla Johnson, East Helena, Montana

5/22

Millionaire Shortbread Bars

You have to try the million-dollar version of shortbread: millionaire bars. They’re topped with scratch-made caramel, chocolate ganache and flaky sea salt. And don’t forget to try more million-dollar recipes. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

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6/22

Shortbread

I live in Missouri, but many family recipes come from New Zealand where I was born. My parents moved there when I was a year old, so I have a “Down Under” heritage. This easy shortbread recipe brings back warm memories of my childhood, and I’m going to make sure they’re passed on to the next generation in my family…no matter where they live! —Allen Swenson, Camdenton, Missouri

7/22

Butterscotch Shortbread

After sampling these tender cookies in a specialty store, I knew I had to duplicate them. My version has lots of toffee bits and butterscotch chips. I’ve given away dozens as home-baked gifts. —Sandra McKenzie, Braham, MN

8/22

Homemade Chocolate Shortbread

This recipe has been in my files for a long time…probably from when I first learned to bake. Any chocolate lover will like these melt-in-your-mouth cookies. I make them year-round with variations. They’re even richer with a thin coat of icing or as a sandwich cookie with frosting in the middle. —Sarah Bueckert, Austin, Manitoba

9/22

Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

With the perfect hint of rosemary and a classic buttery texture, these delicate cookies look and taste elegant. The fact that they’re very easy to prepare can be our little secret.

10/22

Coffee Shortbread

You’ll be remembered for these cookies when you serve them for a morning coffee or at a gathering. Melted chips drizzled on top make them look fancy, but they’re so easy to make. —Dixie Terry, Goreville, Illinois

11/22

Cranberry Shortbread Stars

My family loves shortbread and I love cranberries, so I decided to put the two together to make cranberry shortbread cookies. The star shape is a festive addition to my holiday cookie tray. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California

12/22

Rosemary-Lemon Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

These beautiful shortbread sandwich cookies are always a welcome addition to our annual ladies holiday tea luncheon. The distinctive rosemary flavor, paired so well with the tangy lemon curd, has made them a favorite in our group for years! —Jamie Jones, Madison, Georgia

13/22

Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

I layer a creamy, coffee-flavored filling between buttery shortbread, then dip the sandwiches in chocolate. Guests always love them.—Bertha Seyer, Oak Ridge, Missouri

14/22

Pistachio Shortbread Sandwiches

We tasted these melt-in-your-mouth morsels at a Christmas party several years ago. We tweaked the recipe to include pistachios. The cookies disappear so quickly at parties, you just might have to watch the plate—and check the kids’ pockets! —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario

15/22

Shortbread Hearts

These flaky cookies melt in your mouth. Dipped in chocolate, they look festive.—Barbara Birk, St. George, Utah

16/22

Buttery 3-Ingredient Shortbread Cookies

With only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire

17/22

Caramel Pecan Shortbread

My grandchildren look for Grandma’s “candy bar cookies” every Christmas. I recommend doubling the recipe for these sweet treats because they go so fast. —Dorothy Buiter, Worth, Illinois

18/22

Chocolate Chunk Shortbread

Chocolate is a nice addition to shortbread, as this scrumptious recipe proves. The shortbread cookies are delicious served with a cold glass of milk.—Brenda Mumma, Airdrie, Alberta

19/22

Whipped Shortbread

These whipped shortbread Christmas cookies melt in your mouth. Mostly I make them for the holidays, but I’ll also prepare them year-round for wedding showers and afternoon teas. —Jane Ficiur, Bow Island, Alberta

20/22

Crisp Lemon Shortbread

Fresh juice and zest pair up to give my buttery cookies a lemony pop. Sprinkle sugar on top for extra sparkle. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, Florida

21/22

Pistachio Shortbread Sandwiches

We tasted these melt-in-your-mouth morsels at a Christmas party several years ago, and I have since tweaked the recipe to include pistachios. The cookies disappear so quickly at parties, you just might have to watch the plate—and check the kids’ pockets! —Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario

22/22

Lavender Shortbread

Lavender flowers can be used fresh or dried in cooking. The flowers have an intense flavor, so they are best used sparingly.—Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Greendale, Wisconsin

Lisa is a formerTaste of Home editor and passionate baker. During her tenure, she poured her love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Bakeable, Taste of Home's baking club. Lisa also dedicated her career here to finding and testing the best ingredients, kitchen gear and home products for our Test Kitchen-Preferred program. At home, you'll find her working on embroidery and other crafts.