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Homemade buttery bite sized shortbread cookies decorated with your favorite sprinkles are a sweet treat that will melt in your mouth!
This simple recipe is easy to follow, has great flavor, and can be decorated with different kinds of sprinkles depending on the occasion.
Why this recipe works:
This is a fantastic scratch made cookie recipe because the ingredients are simple and they are fun to make.
- When cut into half-inch squares, you’ll end up with about 100 cookies!
- There are no eggs in this recipe resulting in a truly rich shortbread texture.
- Vanilla and almond extract give these perfectly sweet cookies a great flavor!
How to make these shortbread cookies:
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts. Finally, slowly add the flour, salt, and about half of the sprinkles and mix just until combined.
- Press the dough onto a lined sheet pan so that it creates a half-inch thick layer. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- After dough has been chilled, cut half-inch squares. Press the top of each cube into the remaining sprinkles. Bake in the preheated oven for only 8-10 minutes and they’re done!
Cooking tips:
- Be sure the butter is softened prior to mixing. If your house is cold, you can soften the butter in the microwave on 30% power in 15 second increments.
- You can omit the almond extract and replace it with additional vanilla, but I highly recommend using it for the flavor it adds.
- Do not over mix the batter. The most tender cookies will come from minimally mixed cookie batter.
- Any kind of sprinkles will work, but I prefer nonpareils (teeny-tiny balls).
- Do not over cook these shortbread cookies. They will not brown, so you must trust the timer to know when they are done.
Other great Christmas cookie recipes:
Love a good homemade Christmas cookie? Well, then you will certainly love these favorites!
- M&M Cookies
- The Best Homemade Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Peppermint Kiss Cookies
- Lofthouse Cookies
- Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies
- Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies
- Pecan Shortbread
- Molasses Cookies
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Pin ItShortbread Cookie Bites
Shortbread Cookie Bites are a fun bite sized sweet treat that can be made for any birthday or holiday by customizing the fun sprinkles you choose!
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons sprinkles divided
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together butter and sugar until well combined. Mix in almond extract and vanilla. With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour and salt and mix until combined. Add in half of the sprinkles (set remaining half in small bowl) and stir to combine.
- Press dough into a half inch thick layer on parchment lined baking sheet. Cover surface of dough with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least an hour (can be overnight).
- To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut dough into 1/2-inch squares using a large sharp knife. Gently press each cube into the bowl of sprinkles to get more to stick to the top. Set cubes on ungreased baking sheet (note: they won’t spread much if the dough is cold so you can squeeze a lot on). Bake in preheated oven 8 – 12 minutes and cool baking sheet.
- Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
- Be sure the butter is softened prior to mixing. If your house is cold, you can soften the butter in the microwave on 30% power in 15 second increments.
- You can omit the almond extract and replace it with additional vanilla, but I highly recommend using it for the flavor it adds.
- Do not over mix the batter. The most tender cookies will come from minimally mixed cookie batter.
- Any kind of sprinkles will work, but I prefer nonpareils (teeny-tiny balls).
- Do not over cook these shortbread cookies. They will not brown, so you must trust the timer to know when they are done.
Nutrition
Calories: 33kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 11mg, Potassium: 3mg, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 55IU, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 0.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave me a comment below
I really like these cookies. Easy to make and taste great. To keep them from spreading while they bake, I stick the sheet of unbaked cookies back into the fridge for about 15 minutes before they go into the oven. No matter how hard I try, I just cant work fast enough to keep the dough cold while I cut and prep for baking.
Great tip. Thank you!
I liked the recipe but for some reason my cookies spread and didn’t stay in squares
Wondering if they were cold enough when you put them into the oven? Or perhaps cooked a bit too long?
These were amazing,thank you! Was wondering if its possible to put the sprinkles on the top before they go in the fridge?
Adding these to my holiday baking list. These look easy enough for the kids to help out with too. Thank you!
These look so delicious and so cute! I can’t wait to make these!
This is so amazing!! My kids couldn’t stop eating these!