Clicky

Shortbread Bites

5 from 3 votes
Jump to RecipePinSave to Favorites

Site Index Christmas Christmas baking Cookies Shortbread

This post may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy for details.

Shortbread bites are little individual bites of buttery goodness. They are the same recipe I came up with for my Classic Scottish Shortbread and close to my whipped shortbread but using a different method to make them into little thick squares that are individually decorated.

Shortbread bites are a simpler way of baking up shortbread, eschewing the need to fiddle around with cutting out trees and stars like you do with the Scottish shortbread.

large baking sheet with Shortbread Bites with candied cherries, green tablecloth and some candied cherries at the side
Shortbread Bites

How to Make Shortbread Bites

Shortbread bites are really quick and easy to make. The trick to making these is to pat them into your baking pan and then freeze them for a few minutes. Then to make the cookies all you do is slice them into little squares. After you do that you decorate the tops with whatever you choose to use, bake them, and voilà! You have perfect little bites of sweet buttery shortbread.

These also hold up better than traditional shortbread cookies do when gifting or putting on a cookie tray because they are so thick. Remember, when you are baking shortbread, the key is that you are actually drying the shortbread out and not really baking it.

close up Shortbread Bites with candied cherries on top

Ingredients

  •  butter
  •  brown sugar
  •  icing sugar
  •  flour

cookie dough in an 8x8 wax paper lined pan

Directions

  1. Cream together your butter and brown sugar. Add in the icing sugar and combine.
  2. Mix until the dough is completely mixed together.
  3. Pat the cookie dough into an 8×8 wax paper/parchment paper lined pan. (see photo)
  4. Place in your freezer for 15-20 minutes.
  5. Remove from the freezer and cut into squares. (see photo)
  6. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and decorate.
  7. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned.
  8. Remove and cool on sheets for several minutes, then remove and cool completely on baking racks.

 

large baking sheet with Shortbread Bites with candied cherries, green tablecloth and some candied cherries at the side

Shortbread Bites Tips and Tricks

  • Make sure not to skip the time in the freezer. This is what’s going to make the shortbread hold its shape in a little square while you dry it out in the oven.
  • The reason that we are baking these shortbread by at a low oven temperature is that we are drying the cookies out more than we are baking them. If you finds that they are browning on the outside too quickly, you can drop the oven temperature to as low to 250°F as we are simply drying them out.
  • You can store these in a freezer safe closed container by packing them in layers with parchment paper in between, then simply defrost them at room temperature and enjoy!

 

close up Shortbread Bites with candied cherries on top in a large baking sheet

 

I have a crazy love for shortbread during the Christmas season. I don’t think that I actually make it any other time of year, which you could if you wanted simply change the sprinkles to rainbow colored ones for birthday parties or heck, make Halloween shortbread if you are so inclined by putting some Halloween sprinkles on them.

You have to love how easy yet decadent and tasty these are! If you want more Christmas cookie recipes, try my Christmas Candy Cane Cookies, my Marshmallow Yule Log, or my cup of hot cocoa cookies,

Enjoy!

Love,

You Should See How Much Butter is in My Fridge This Holiday Season Magpie

PIN THIS RECIPE to your DESSERTS Boards and Remember to FOLLOW ME ON PINTEREST!

EMAIL YOURSELF THIS RECIPE!
Enter your email to get this recipe emailed to you, so you don’t lose it and get new recipes daily!

Shortbread Bites

How to make delicious buttery shortbread bites! These are shortbread that is baked into squares instead of dropped onto a cookie sheet.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time
25 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American
Servings
25
Calories
114
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
  • 2 cups flour

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 325°F
  • Cream together your butter and brown sugar, making sure that there are no lumps in your brown sugar.
  • Add in the icing sugar and combine.
  • Add in the salt and flour slowly, with the mixer on low - this is not whipped shortbread after all- until the dough is completely mixed together.
  • Pat the cookie dough into an 8 x 8 wax paper/parchment paper lined pan.
  • Place in your freezer for 15-20 minutes.
  • Remove from the freezer and cut into squares. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and decorate as you wish. I love half a candied cherry on top, it's the perfect size.
  • Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned and dried out.
  • Remove and cool on sheets for several minutes, then remove and cool completely on baking racks.

Recipe Notes

Nutritional values may vary.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 114kcal, Carbohydrates: 10g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 19mg, Sodium: 65mg, Potassium: 15mg, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 225IU, Calcium: 6mg, Iron: 0.5mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

Made this recipe?

Share a photo of what you made on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thekitchenmagpie or hashtag it #thekitchenmagpie.

Please rate this recipe in the comments below to help out your fellow cooks!

Learn to cook like the Kitchen Magpie

A Very Prairie Christmas Bakebook

Cookies, Candies, Cakes & More: Vintage Baking to Celebrate the Festive Season!

Learn More

a copy of Flapper Pie cook book

Flapper Pie and a Blue Prairie Sky

A Modern Baker’s Guide to Old-Fashioned Desserts

Learn More

The Prairie Table

Suppers, Potlucks & Socials: Crowd-Pleasing Recipes to Bring People Together

Learn More

Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

Learn more about me

Site Index Christmas Christmas baking Cookies Shortbread

Reader Interactions

Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Joy Leeb says

    Quick and easy. I will be making these. How much salt do you use?

    • The Kitchen Magpie says

      Use salted butter! In need to edit that up. Salted butter is the best!

  2. MissKay says

    I’m wondering if I could use half a merichino cherry on top?

  3. Karlynn Johnston says

    I don’t put salt in my shortbread, whipped or plain, but since I don’t specify unsalted butter, you can use salted to get that sweet/salt combination.

  4. Deb McKay says

    Thanks for sharing. I love the idea of putting it in a pan and freezing it so you can cut it easily into squares.

Leave a Comment or Recipe Tip

Recipe Rating