Name: Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature; 3/4 cup powdered sugar; 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 cups all purpose flour gluten free if needed; 1 Tablespoon cornstarch; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 Tablespoons milk; 4 ounces white chocolate; Rosemary sprigs, sprinkles, sanding sugar for decorating; Red food coloring oil-based

There’s something truly magical about the buttery crumb of shortbread and the sweet pop of icing decorated just right. My Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe brings holiday cheer to your kitchen, whether you’re gifting, sharing, or just indulging yourself after a busy day.

The image shows a close-up of round cookies with white icing, arranged on a white marbled surface dusted with powdered sugar. There are two types of cookies: some are solid circles decorated with red icing shaped like a Christmas hat with white sugar sprinkles for the hat’s fur, and others are ring-shaped with white icing decorated with small red and white candy balls and tiny green rosemary sprigs. The cookies have a light golden-brown edge, and the overall look is festive and wintery with green pine needles and a white Christmas ornament placed around the cookies for decoration. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Honestly, this recipe feels like a warm hug during the holidays. I keep coming back to it because it’s simple enough for a weekday treat but pretty and festive enough for special occasions — and the icing? It’s the perfect sweet finish that brings these cookies to life.

Perfect buttery texture: The cookies melt in your mouth without being crumbly or dry.
Versatile decorating options: Whether you love classic icing or fancy chocolate designs, you can customize these cookies your way.
Simple ingredients you probably have: No complicated shopping trips required, making it easier to whip up on a whim.
Chill and roll method: Gives the dough just the right consistency to cut clean shapes and hold their form beautifully while baking.

Ingredients & Why They Work

This mix of simple ingredients comes together in a way that’s foolproof yet produces that classic shortbread melt-in-your-mouth consistency. Here’s why each part plays such a crucial role:

Flat lay of a small block of unsalted butter, a small white ceramic bowl filled with powdered sugar, a small white ceramic bowl holding vanilla bean paste, a few grains of salt scattered near a small pinch of fine salt, a mound of all-purpose flour, a small white ceramic bowl containing cornstarch, another small white ceramic bowl with smooth white powdered sugar, a small white ceramic bowl with creamy milk, a small white ceramic bowl with vanilla extract, a few fresh rosemary sprigs with bright green needles, a small pile of red sprinkles, a small heap of sparkling sanding sugar crystals, and a small cluster of smooth, whole white eggshells, all arranged with perfect symmetry placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Unsalted butter: Room temperature butter creams smoothly for that tender, crumbly texture.
Powdered sugar: Provides sweetness without graininess and helps the dough stay soft.
Vanilla bean paste: Adds warm, real vanilla flavor far beyond extract — if you don’t have it, vanilla extract works fine too.
Salt: Just a pinch balances the sweetness and boosts all the rich flavors.
All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the cookie; gluten-free works to adapt to different needs.
Cornstarch: Lightens the dough, giving the shortbread that characteristic tender snap rather than toughness.
For icing - powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk: These create a smooth spread or dip that hardens just right on cooling.
White chocolate and red oil-based food coloring: Perfect for beautifully colored festive decorations without risking seizing the chocolate.
Rosemary and sprinkles: For that fresh green and bright red color combo that screams holiday spirit.

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Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

I love how flexible these festive shortbread cookies are. You can go classic with simple icing and sprinkles or get creative with shapes, flavors, and decorations. It’s all about what feels fun in your kitchen that day.

Variation: One year, I swapped vanilla bean paste for almond extract and topped with crushed toasted nuts — the flavor twist was so warming and instantly loved by my family.
Diet-friendly substitutions: Try coconut oil instead of butter for a dairy-free version or gluten-free flour if needed — just expect subtle texture changes.
Seasonal flair: Swap rosemary sprigs for crushed peppermint or edible glitter for a sparkly snowy effect.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe

The image shows a stack of round cookies with a hole in the center, each cookie decorated on top with smooth white icing. The icing is sprinkled with small red and white round candy beads and small green rosemary sprigs, giving a festive look. The cookies are light golden brown with a slightly crumbly texture and are stacked in the center of the image on a white marbled surface. Around the stack, there are other cookies decorated with similar white icing and some have red and white shapes on top. Festive greenery and white ornamental acorns are scattered nearby, adding to the holiday feel. photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Start by beating your room temperature unsalted butter on medium-high speed until it’s smooth and creamy — about 1-2 minutes. This step is crucial because properly creamed butter creates that perfect tender bite. Then add powdered sugar and beat again. Don’t rush — scrape the bowl often to make sure everything is incorporated evenly.

Step 2: Add Flavors and Dry Ingredients

Mix in the vanilla bean paste and salt until they’re blended in well. Then add the flour and cornstarch on medium-low speed. At first, the dough might look a little dry and crumbly. That’s totally normal! Keep scraping down the sides and mixing until it starts pulling away from the bowl sides and clumps into a firm dough.

Step 3: Chill the Dough

Wrap your dough bowl tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes. Chilling helps the dough firm up, making it easier to roll without sticking and helps the cookies hold their shape in the oven.

Step 4: Roll, Cut, and Chill Again

Flour your clean surface generously and roll the dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Use your shaped cookie cutters—round, scalloped, whatever you love—to cut out the cookies. Don’t forget to re-roll scraps so nothing goes to waste. Arrange them spaced apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then chill for another 15 to 30 minutes. This second chill keeps them from spreading too much while baking.

Step 5: Bake to Perfection

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake your chilled cookies for around 8-10 minutes, rotating halfway through for even cooking. You want the edges set and just starting to turn golden—any darker, and you risk losing that tender texture. Let them cool slightly on the sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 6: Whip Up the Icing and Decorate

Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk until smooth and lump-free. Dip your cooled cookies upside down gently—this avoids cracking. For wreaths, top with rosemary and sprinkles before icing sets. For Santa hats, melt white chocolate, tint some with oil-based red coloring, then pipe creatively. I love how the colors and textures bring holiday cheer to life!

Top Tip

I’ve learned a few tricks over the years that really help nail this Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe every time. A few small things made all the difference for me, and I’m excited to share them so you can skip the guesswork and get perfect cookies straight away.

Use room temperature butter: This ensures your dough creams smoothly, avoiding grainy or greasy dough.
Chill the dough twice: It sounds extra, but every time I skip this step my cookies spread too much and lose crisp edges.
Oil-based food coloring for chocolate: Vanilla or other water-based colors will seize the white chocolate — so be sure to use oil-based for smooth piping.
Don’t overbake: Watch closely in those last few minutes; overbaked shortbread becomes dry and stiff.

How to Serve Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe

Festive Shortbread Cookies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I’m personally a fan of rosemary sprigs and classic red sprinkles—they give the cookies that evergreen holiday vibe and a delightful crunch. Sometimes I toss on a little sanding sugar for sparkle or swap in crushed peppermint to add a fresh twist.

Side Dishes

One of my favorite pairings is a cozy cup of spiced chai or hot cocoa. The warm spices and creaminess complement the buttery, sweet cookies perfectly — it’s like a little festive tea party in your living room.

Creative Ways to Present

I’ve arranged these cookies on festive platters with pine cones and fairy lights for holiday gatherings. Or wrap small sets tied with twine and add a sprig of fresh rosemary for charming, edible gifts. Recently, I created a cookie wreath centerpiece on a cake stand that was a showstopper!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they usually keep fresh for up to five days. Just be sure the icing is completely set before stacking them to avoid smudging the decorations.

Freezing

Freezing is a lifesaver! I freeze undecorated cookies flat between sheets of parchment for up to three months. When I’m ready, I thaw them fully before decorating. You can also freeze the dough rolled and wrapped; just bake straight from frozen, adding a couple minutes to the bake time.

Reheating

To freshen up leftovers, I pop cookies in a warm oven at 300°F for just a few minutes to take the chill off. Avoid microwaving, which softens the icing and can dry out the shortbread.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use regular food coloring instead of oil-based?

Regular (water- or gel-based) food coloring can cause white chocolate to seize and become grainy. For this recipe, always use oil-based food coloring to get smooth, vibrant colors when tinting your melted white chocolate.

How do I prevent my shortbread cookies from spreading too much?

Chilling the dough twice—once before rolling and once after cutting the cookies—is key. This firms up the butter so the cookies hold their shape during baking rather than spreading thin and losing their detail.

Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes! Substitute a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to make these cookies gluten-free. Keep in mind that texture may vary slightly depending on the blend but overall, the recipe works quite well as a gluten-free treat.

How far in advance can I decorate the cookies?

You can decorate the cookies several days in advance. Just store them in an airtight container layered with parchment paper to keep the icing intact. Let the icing fully harden before stacking to avoid smudging.

Final Thoughts

This Festive Shortbread Cookies with Icing Recipe has become a holiday tradition in my house—not just because they’re delicious, but because making and decorating them brings everyone together. I hope you enjoy baking them as much as I do, and they fill your kitchen with warmth and joy just like they do mine. Trust me, once you bake these, you’ll keep this recipe in your festive rotation forever!