Flower-Shaped Buttery Shortbread (Printable Version)

Tender, buttery flower-shaped shortbread perfect for celebrations and tea time.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shortbread Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
04 - 1/4 cup cornstarch
05 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

07 - 2 tablespoons coarse sanding sugar or colored sprinkles, optional
08 - 1/4 cup powdered sugar, for dusting, optional
09 - Edible flower petals or pastel icing, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Mix in the vanilla extract until fully combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.
05 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overwork the dough.
06 - Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/4-inch thickness.
07 - Using a flower-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies and transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
08 - Sprinkle with sanding sugar or lightly press in edible flower petals, if desired.
09 - Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are just turning golden.
10 - Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
11 - Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar or decorate with pastel icing, if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They bake in under 20 minutes, which means you can make a batch while the kettle boils for afternoon tea.
  • The dough comes together so easily that even if you've never shaped cookies before, you'll feel like a pastry chef.
  • One batch yields 24 cookies, so there's always enough to share or hide a few for yourself.
02 -
  • Do not skip the 5-minute rest on the baking sheet—these cookies are delicate, and trying to move them too early will result in broken pieces, a lesson I learned the messy way.
  • Your butter must be genuinely soft but not melted, otherwise you lose that crucial air incorporation that makes the texture special.
03 -
  • Invest in a quality flower-shaped cookie cutter with sharp edges—dull cutters crush the dough instead of cutting cleanly, which affects the final texture.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill the cut cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking to keep their shape crisp and defined.
Return