These 4 ingredient shortbread cookies are light as air and super buttery. They are made with 4 simple pantry staple ingredients and topped with festive sprinkles. These cookies are a family favourite recipe that everyone loves and I’m sure you will, too!
When I think of Christmas cookies, these 4 ingredient shortbread cookies are the first to come to mind. These are my husbands favourite cookie of all time, and I’ve been known to stock a batch in the freezer year-round. They are light as air and super buttery without being overly sweet. These shortbread are a classic cookie, just like the shortbread Grandma used to make.
Tips for Making 4 Ingredient Shortbread
You’d be hard pressed to find an easier cookie than these. They’re made with cornstarch, confectioners (icing) sugar, flour and butter. These 4 simple ingredients create a tender and light cookie that are irresistible. Here are some tips for success:
- You’ll see lots of recipes out there for whipped shortbread with cornstarch. Whipping the butter is not necessary. I’ve found that there’s hardly any difference between whipping and not whipping, so I don’t bother.
- Use salted butter. When it comes to these shortbread cookies (or cookies in general, honestly), I always use salted butter. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the recipe to compensate.
- Making shortbread cookies with cornstarch is necessary for a tender and delicate cookie. Next time you make chocolate chip cookies, I suggest you try adding 1 Tbsp of cornstarch to the batch to help keep them extra soft and tender.
- Don’t over mix the dough. Mix until it’s just perfectly formed a cohesive dough which will keep the final cookie tender.
- Bake these until juuuust before they start to brown. You don’t want the edges to be noticeably brown. In my oven, the perfect time is 15 minutes.
These shortbread cookies with cornstarch are the perfect holiday treat. They make a great addition to your cookie trays and are always popular at bake sales because they’re perfectly buttery and slightly sweet. The addition of fun and festive sprinkles puts them over the top! My mother in law uses red and green coloured sugars exclusively as her sprinkles, but I tend to get creative. I love using multicolour nonpareils, snowflakes and red and green holly sprinkles.
Make Ahead Instructions
These cookies freeze incredibly well. To freeze the cookies once baked, make sure they’re completely cool. Then, place them into an airtight container and freeze for up to three months.
Looking for more Holiday cookie recipes?
- Peppermint Mocha Shortbread Cookies
- Espresso Shortbread
- Chocolate chunk Pretzel Cookies
- Cranberry Bliss Cookies
4 Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup salted butter at room temperature
- sprinkles of your choice optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 °F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, sift together cornstarch and confectioners sugar. Whisk in the flour until well combined.
- Using a two forks or rubber spatula, mix in the butter until a soft dough is formed.
- Using a 1 Tbsp scoop, measure out dough into balls. Roll between hands to create smooth, round balls. Place on a baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.
- Lightly flatten with the palm of your hand. Using the tines of a fork, gently press the cookies down further.
- Add sprinkles to the tops of each cookie.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the edges are just barely starting to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cook on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cook completely.
Nutrition
Nutritional calculation was provided by WP Recipe Maker and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator
Notes
- These cookies freeze incredibly well. Allow to cool completely and store in an airtight bag in the freeze for up to 3-months
I can’t believe that these cookies are only made with 4 ingredients!! I am definitely going to be making this a lot over the holidays, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
This recipe is a keeper for sure. The only thing I did different was after adding the butter to the mixture it was taking too long for the dough to come together so I used my mixer. it came together quickly . The cookies are so good so will use again .
These mouth melting cookies look so perfect and I love the colorful toppings too. They are so quick and easy to make too.
I love how simple and easy these shortbread cookies are to make. The perfect cookie for even the newest baker to make this holiday season.
Shortbread cookies are an absolute favorite go to cookie for me, simple and quick and great flavor too.
this is the perfect shortbread recipe – simple and delicious – just like my grandmother used make.
This is such a dumb question…but where did you find all the cute holiday sprinkles, snowflakes, etc for decorating? The grocery stores seem to have the same basics all year round. Thanks!
Hi Bridget, I mostly get mine at Bulk Barn. They always have a good selection. Winner/Home Sense also sells cute sprinkles from time to time. I usually keep an eye out for the Sweetapolita ones at both Bulk Barn and Winners. And I order online from Sweetapolita on occasion.
Big YAY for 4 ingredients!! I have a ton of sprinkles I’m wanting to use!
I can’t believe how easy these cookies are to make! Definitely making them for my work cookie exchange.
It’s fate! I was looking for a quick and easy shortbread cookie and here yours is! These are crazy good and perfect with tea!
These shortbread cookies are addicting. I can’t quit eating them. They turn out so cute with the sprinkles.
I absolutely love these cookies, and your tip about adding cornstarch is brilliant! Cornstarch makes cookies pliable and delicious, and these Christmas cookies look like just a ticket to get my son to eat his veggies
I’ve been making these cookies for 50 years but this year the dough would not become smooth enough to roll easily and were a little on the crumbly side. I threw out the first batch and made a second. Although a little smoother but still not easy to roll and dough didn’t have that buttery shortbread taste. I double checked ingredients before adding. Any thoughts anyone, help, I’m so disappointed.
Hi Rozanne, I’ve never used this recipe to make rolled cookies before. It’s such a soft dough that it’s best if rolled into balls. I did a little poking around for you, and recipes that require you to roll the dough have more flour than my recipe, plus the dough is chilled. There are a variety of recipes out there, so if you google “rolled shortbread cookies” you should be able to find a recipe that fits the bill (I found this one for you that looks great (https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/dads-christmas-shortbread-cookies/)
made exactly as per the recipe and they were perfect. delicious, easy recipe and a great quick fix for a late night sweet tooth or to bring somewhere. this is my new permanent shortbread recipe.
This is my mothers recipe and the best I’ve found.
I love making these I have cookie presses you just push into the dough they bake up lovely
super good,
I made this recipe last Christmas and they were a big hit. I’ll be making these again at Christmas. Easy and delicious.
Such tender cookies! I decided this year to add a tsp of cardamom and zest of one lemon. Also very nice, but they are scrumptious just as they are, too.
I’m the South they are often called MeltAways as they melt in your mouth. When I was a child, in Canada, we would ice them with a dab of colored Icing and sometimes put a pecan half or a bit of candied fruit on top. Wonderful memories from 70 years ago…still making them!!!
Super easy to make, taste GREAT–loved and will be using this recipe again, thank you!
Absolutely the best recipe,we love it!!
Love these cookies! Super easy to make, but hard to stop eating them all!
So tasty and easy to make.
Turned out super good, three of them disappeared with in the first 20 minutes of them being out the oven!
These shortbread cookies are so easy to make. I’ve made them at least a dozen times and everybody raves. They’re incredibly simple but taste like they come from an upscale bakery. One of the best recipes I’ve ever discovered! Thank you 😊
Ohhhh yes! I make these every Christmas! We’re from Windsor, Canada and this is IT! Just a touch of icing for sweetness. The real deal!💕
The best easy recipe to make! My favourite 😋
This recipe is off the back of the Fleischmann’s Canada corn starch box, Most likely 70 -80 years ago, BEST shortbread recipe out there.
It was a pleasure to make these unlike other recipes i have tried in which it recommended chilling and the dough became difficult to roll AND they taste great! Thank you.
The lightness and butteriness of these cookies are a perfect holiday treat, just like Grandma’s!It has the kind of quiet specificity that keeps echoing after the page is closed.