These 3 ingredient shortbread cookies melt in your mouth with a buttery flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. This recipe only takes a few minutes to make, but these cookies will be a hit with the whole family!

Do you ever find yourself wishing you could make cookies but you’re short on ingredients? Maybe you forgot to buy baking soda or you’re out of eggs. Maybe you used the last of the vanilla and forgot to replace the bottle. We’ve all been there. Luckily these cookies are just three ingredients: butter, flour, and powdered sugar. That’s it!

3 ingredient shortbread cookies

Tips for the perfect 3 ingredient shortbread cookies

  • Make sure your butter is softened but not melted.
  • Be sure to bake these at the top of your oven as the cookies have a tendency to brown on the bottom.
  • If your oven has a convection setting, you can use that for more even baking, but you may need to cut down on the baking time by a minute or two.
  • These cookies aren’t super sweet so if you like a sweeter flavor, add an extra tablespoon of powdered sugar, or a splash of vanilla. These cookies are also delicious with a little frosting on top!
  • These cookies do have a crumbly texture, so be careful when removing them from the pan. Be sure they’re cooled before transferring.

mixing shortbread cookies

Keep mixing until one large dough ball is formed. The dough might be a bit sticky when you’re finished mixing, so I like to let it chill in the fridge for a few minutes. Then you can roll the dough into balls and drop onto a baking sheet. The dough should not be sticky or crumbly.

3 ingredient shortbread cookies

The cookies won’t spread much, so it’s ok if you place them close together on the baking sheet! Remember to move the oven rack to the to top of your oven before baking, as the cookies have a tendency to brown on the bottom. This helps them bake more evenly. 

Once the cookies have cooled slightly, transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

cookies on a wire cooling rack

Can these shortbread cookies be made gluten-free?

In case you’re wondering, I tried making a version of these with gluten-free flour but I do not recommend it. These cookies tend to be a bit crumbly with regular flour, so with gluten-free flour, they completely fell apart. Stick to all-purpose flour for this one! If you do want a gluten-free cookie recipe, try these gluten-free chocolate chip cookies!

How to add a chocolate drizzle

shortbread cookies with a chocolate drizzle

To add a chocolate drizzle, melt 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips and use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over each cookie. I recommend placing the cookies close together on a sheet of parchment paper, for easy cleanup. Let the chocolate sit for 5 minutes until hardened.

chocolate covered shortbread cookies

Can I double the recipe?

Absolutely! The recipe written below makes about 12 small cookies. To make a larger batch, simply double the recipe. I’d recommend baking them in two batches, to ensure even baking.

Do I have to refrigerate the dough?

No! If you want to slice the dough into rounds (as shown in the chocolate drizzled photos) you’ll need to roll it into a log and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. But if you don’t have time to chill the dough, you can simply roll the dough into balls and gently flatten on the baking sheet. These cookies will not flatten while baking, so it’s important to flatten them by hand.

Can I add other mix-ins?

Absolutely! You could add a splash of vanilla for a stronger vanilla flavor. You could add a little lemon zest for easy lemon shortbread cookies. I don’t recommend adding too many mix-ins though, or the cookies may begin to fall apart.

Substitution Tips

  • Powdered sugar is also called confectioners sugar or icing sugar. Any of those will work. Do not substitute for granulated sugar.
  • You can use unsalted butter, but I recommend adding a small pinch of salt to the dough.
  • I’ve tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill cup for cup gluten-free flour and I was not happy with the results. I wouldn’t recommend substituting gluten-free flour in this recipe.
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3 ingredient shortbread cookies

3 Ingredient Shortbread Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 5 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 10 Cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Cookies

Description

These 3 ingredient shortbread cookies melt in your mouth with a buttery flavor and just the right amount of sweetness. This recipe only takes a few minutes to make, but these cookies will be a hit with the whole family!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, softened (see note)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional for drizzling)

Instructions

  1. Move the oven rack to the top position.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth.
  4. Add the flour and continue to mix until incorporated. The mixture will be sandy, but should stick together.
  5. Roll into a log and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove from plastic and slice into 1/2″ slices.
  7. Alternatively, you can scoop the dough into tablespoons and press to flatten.
  8. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cookies on the baking sheet.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until they just begin to brown on the bottom.
  10. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.

Be sure to bake these at the top of your oven as the cookies have a tendency to brown on the bottom. If your oven has a convection setting, you can use that for more even baking, but you may need to cut down on the baking time by a minute or two.

This simple little recipe only makes about 12 cookies but you could easily double or triple it if you wanted to make a larger batch. A small batch was just perfect for us.

shortbread cookies

I like dusting the cookies with powdered sugar but they’re also delicious with a swipe of frosting on top!

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