Buttery with the perfect chew, these brown sugar Christmas Shortbread Cookies are easy to make with just five ingredients. They work beautifully as cut-outs or slice-and-bake cookies. Topped with a simple icing and festive sprinkles, they’re a holiday favorite.
These iced Christmas Shortbread Cookies are ideal for holiday baking. The dough uses brown sugar instead of the traditional white or powdered sugar for a richer, slightly caramelized flavor that keeps the cookies tender yet slightly chewy.
This recipe is quick to assemble and flexible: roll and cut with cookie cutters for decorated shapes or form a log for slice-and-bake convenience. A light glaze of powdered sugar, cream (or milk) and almond extract finishes them beautifully for gifting or serving at parties.
Why you’ll love this Christmas shortbread cookie recipe
- Only 5 ingredients. These cookies are made from pantry staples: butter, brown sugar, flour, vanilla and a pinch of salt.
- Great for cut-outs. Chill the dough, roll it out and cut festive shapes with cookie cutters—great to make with kids.
- Slice-and-bake option. Roll the dough into a log, chill, then slice off rounds whenever you want fresh cookies.
- Simple to decorate. A smooth glaze and colorful sprinkles are all you need for a festive look; you can also use royal icing if you prefer more detailed decorating.
Let the baking begin!
What you need
- Butter: Unsalted butter is preferred. If using salted, omit the added salt in the recipe.
- Flour: All-purpose flour. Measure by fluffing the flour, spooning into a measuring cup and leveling with a knife for the best results. Gluten-free flours may yield drier cookies.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor; skip imitation vanilla if possible.
- Salt: A small amount—sea salt is recommended.
- Icing: Powdered sugar, cream or milk, and almond extract (or vanilla) make a simple glossy glaze. Adjust liquid for your desired consistency.
How to make these iced Christmas shortbread cookies
Follow these straightforward steps to make the brown sugar shortbread dough and finish the cookies with a simple glaze.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, then add vanilla and mix to combine.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk 1 3/4 cups of flour with the salt in a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the creamed butter, mix, then add the remainder and combine just until incorporated.
- Knead in remaining flour. The dough may be crumbly at first—sprinkle the last 1/4 cup flour on a clean surface, transfer the dough, and knead a minute or two until smooth.
- Shape and chill. Divide into 2–3 balls for rolling or form into a 2-inch log for slice-and-bake. Wrap tightly and chill at least 30 minutes, ideally one hour.
- Roll or slice the dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll chilled balls to about 5/8″ thickness and cut shapes, or slice the chilled log into rounds.
- Bake. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–14 minutes, until the edges just begin to turn golden. Cool briefly on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
When cookies are completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, 3–4 tablespoons cream or milk and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla). Start with less liquid and add until you reach the desired glaze consistency. Dip or spread the icing over each cookie and add sprinkles. Let the icing set before stacking.
Recipe notes and tips
- Chill the dough. Chilling prevents spreading and helps cookies keep their shape. Chill at least 30 minutes, preferably one hour.
- Make ahead. The dough can be prepared in advance and baked when needed.
- Freezing. Wrapped tightly, the dough keeps up to 2 months in the freezer. Thaw before baking or slice frozen log and let slices sit before baking.
Flavor variations
Customize the basic brown sugar shortbread with add-ins or extracts:
- Cranberry Orange: Add orange zest and about 1 cup dried cranberries; drizzle with white chocolate when cooled.
- Citrus: Use 1/2 teaspoon lemon or lime extract and add zest for bright flavor.
- Maple Pecan: Fold chopped pecans into the dough and add a tablespoon of maple syrup to the glaze.
- Peppermint Chocolate: Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to the dough and drizzle cooled cookies with melted dark chocolate; top with crushed candies.
- Warm spices: Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom; cardamom pairs nicely with chopped pecans.
Other holiday cookie ideas
- Cream Cheese Snowball Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
- Peppermint Chip Cookies
- Caramel Stuffed Snickerdoodles
- Rosemary Orange Almond Cookies (gluten-free option)
- Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Christmas Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 – 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
For the Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3–4 T cream or milk
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (or vanilla)
Instructions
- Add brown sugar and butter to a mixing bowl and beat on high until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and mix to combine.
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 3/4 cups flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until incorporated.
- Transfer dough to a floured surface, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup flour and knead until smooth.
- Divide into three balls for rolling or form one log for slice-and-bake. Wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out to about 5/8″ or slice the log, place on parchment-lined sheet and bake 12–14 minutes until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool completely. Whisk icing ingredients, spread or dip cookies and add sprinkles. Let icing set before storing.
- Store in an airtight container for 5–7 days.
Notes
- Chilling is essential. It prevents spreading and helps cookies keep their shape.
- Make ahead or freeze. Dough freezes up to 2 months when wrapped tightly; thaw before baking or slice and allow to thaw slightly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an approximation.