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This shortbread cookie recipe makes some of the best shortbread cookies I’ve ever had The bars are light and tender and the cinnamon sugar topping gives them a little flair.
So, do you guys know what time it is?
Girl Scout cookie time. It’s both the best and worst time of the year.
It’s the best because peanut butter patties, thin mints, and shortbread cookies. It’s the worst because my pants won’t fit anymore in a couple of weeks.
I was always the weirdo kid who looked forward to the most boring of all cookies…the shortbread ones! All the other kids were after the chocolate and the caramel and the peanut butter. There I was, hangin’ with my grandma, dunking the shortbread cookies in a glass of milk before watching the evening news, taking out my dentures, and heading off to bed.
I didn’t care that the other kids thought shortbread cookies were boring. I knew better. Shortbread is where it’s at.
Butter, flaky, tender, and coated in cinnamon and sugar. I could live on shortbread cookies.
So, I went ahead and made these shortbread cookie bars, because everybody needs a fail proof shortbread cookie recipe and, let’s face it, bars are easier than cookies.
I sprinkled these bars with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, just to liven them up a bit. These were seriously the best shortbread cookies I’ve ever eaten. I mean, I didn’t think plain shortbread cookies could get any better, but wow. I was wrong.
Give these a try and let me know if it’s the best shortbread cookie recipe you’ve ever made!
And, don’t forget to check out my oatmeal cookie bars that have been getting rave reviews and my gingerbread cookie bars!
Cinnamon Sugar Shortbread Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups butter room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the flour and cornstarch until well combined.
- Pat into an ungreased 10x15 rimmed baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork.
- In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the dough.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden and the cookie is set.
- Cut into bars while still warm.
Nutrition Information:
Be sure to check out these Nutella Brownies too!
My salted caramel cookie cups are always popular.
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You’ll love my chocolate chip cookie dough fudge!
Sue says
I couldn’t quit eating these!
Debby says
Is there no vanilla flavoring in this recipe?
Karly says
Nope, no vanilla.
Gina Cartwright says
I lov shortbread cookies. Would like to try these but a little concerned about the cornstarch. Recently tried a recipe that called for cornstarch and didn’t care for the aftertaste. Could I just use flour instead?
Karly says
I haven’t tried this with just flour, so I can’t say how they’ll turn out unfortunately. I don’t find any aftertaste from the corn starch in this recipe as it’s mostly flour here, though. 🙂
Lisa says
It is reassuring to know that others have my adoration for shortbread! I too love the Girl Scout shortbread cookies but I don’t buy them anymore. I am a retired teacher and I have had to buy cookies from so many students. I used to give them to my parents so we didn’t eat all of them. I make lots of different flavors of shortbread and I am happy to add this “cinnamon” version of yours. It is really delicious.
Lucy says
I just tried the recipe and there is too much cinnamon sugar topping. It is delicious but the sugar mixture was knocked off my friends cause it was just caked on. But still very delicious.
Sue says
I just used about 2/3rds of mine & saved the rest in a shaker to use on Cinnamon Toast!
Teresa says
Too dry!!!! They turned out hard and brittle. I would definitely decrease the amount of flour by at least 1 cup less, if not more.
naureen says
doubled this recipe and made them today! first time making shortbread. they went very well… only thing was that i added a bit more powdered sugar to the dough than was called for (the dough tasted a bit too heavy on flour when i tried it, but once baked the flour-y taste disappeared). i also took them out a bit earlier than called for (around 25/30 min in). also, the topping was way too much! next time i would make 3/4 of what i made.
but they tasted fantastic! no complaints.
Karly says
Glad to hear that! You’re the second person to mention the topping was too much – I may have written those amounts down wrong. Eek! I’ll go adjust. 🙂
Sheila says
This recipe is easy, but 1/2 c. sugar and 4 t. of cinnamon to be sprinkled over the top is WAY, WAY too much. When I compared the picture above to what mine look like there’s no comparison, and I didn’t even use all that mixture
Not a fan!!
Karly says
Sorry to hear you weren’t a fan. You can certainly reduce the amount of the topping as you see fit. 🙂
Amanda says
Do you think I could prepare, refrigerate overnight, and then bake? Want to have baking while we eat Thanksgiving dinner 🙂
Karly says
I haven’t tried it, but it should work fine.
Marty says
Do you think these would freeze well? Thanks!
Karly says
They should freeze just fine! 🙂
Debby says
I love shortbread – especially with browned butter – but I like them soft, not crispy. I think I’d double the recipe or use a smaller pan to make the final cookie a little thicker and softer. Thanks for the cinnamon sugar idea.
Anne says
Don’t these look crazy good! Canadian here, too. Not our fault that there’s no variety in the annual cookie sale. Some pressure was put on the Girl Guides association many years and took them many years to add the mint chocs. Anyway cinnamon is top of MY list, but my immediate reaction was hey! I could use nutmeg or ginger or cardamom or a combination that would make a chai spice mix. This one is on my list for MUST TRY.
Cynthia First says
Butter…unsweetened or sweetened??
Karly says
Do you mean salted or unsalted? I use salted unless otherwise stated. 🙂
Linda Heil says
I made these this afternoon to give as a gift and they are wonderful. The best way to make shortbread cookies; you are correct the cinnamon sugar takes them to a new level of flavor. Thank you for sharing this great recipe for a perfect shortbread cookie.
Karly says
So glad you enjoyed them!
Emma says
These bars are fantastic!! We didn’t have such a big pan, so I used a 13×9 and they still turned out perfect! Added just a couple minutes on the baking time. Super simple to make but taste delicious!!!
Karly says
Wonderful!