Sprinkle Shortbread Cookies
Perfectly tender shortbread made with sprinkles for a pop of color and crunch. As easy to make as they are delicious, these are a great last-minute option for any party or just for fun!
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This was a Hail Mary recipe. Not because I don’t love these cookies but because I was running out of things to bake each week while pregnant with Brooklyn. I simply didn’t expect to make it so far, after having a preemie for my first. I was just trying my best to take it easy so I made it until 37 weeks, when my maternity leave would start.
And exactly 30 minutes into 37 weeks (quite literally—at 12:30am, which was also just hours after my last day), I thought I was going into labor. I laid on the couch and watched Love Actually while timing contractions. And this little stinker kept me up and in pain until 3am but didn’t make her appearance. Nooooo. She decided I needed to experience ALL the random pregnancy things and I spent the next 11 days having mild to moderate contractions with nothing to show for it.
Except these cookies, I suppose. I threw them together later that day after realizing I wouldn’t be going to the hospital. And while the contractions had calmed down, I was not at all interested in spending a long time making some elaborate recipe.
So instead I made fun sprinkle cookies and took a walk, hoping to get that baby out.
Even though she decided to wait ten more grueling days.
Why this recipe works
This is one of my most beloved recipes, used as a cookie on its own or the base for several thumbprint cookies. While not everyone loves shortbread, my friends and family seem to all love mine!
My secret is powdered sugar. It is a very fine texture, meaning you’ll get a smooth, fluffy dough without any large sugar crystals. And while some recipes call for beating granulated sugar until nearly dissolved, I’ve found that to be 1. often impossible and 2. too much air in the dough for the delicate, crumbly cookie we want.
Additionally, confectioner’s sugar has a small bit of cornstarch. Cornstarch is that secret rising agent that gives just a slight poof. It keeps these cookies from being dense yet isn’t powerful enough (like baking powder/soda) to make them rise like a chocolate chip cookie. It creates that perfect in-between rise.
As well, European style butter is a game changer. It has far less water and is a MUCH creamier butter, making softer, more tender cookies. I get Kerrygold from Costco (in fact, it keeps going on sale and now we have at least 18 pounds in our fridge for all my summer baking…). But any European style butter will do. I often use salted butter, meaning I only add a pinch of salt. This is because I know Kerrygold and know how salty it will make my dessert. If you’re using a different brand or are unsure, try to use unsalted so you can better control the salt.
Adding sprinkles actually requires some care, as they can bleed if you mix too much (which also turns the dough tough) and can make the cookies spread because of the added sugar. So, avoid adding more than what’s called for. However, if blended gently, the sprinkles add a fun pop of color and even a bit of crunch that pairs perfectly with these cookies!
Key ingredients
Butter. As mentioned above, always use European style butter in shortbread. It’s creamier and has less water.
Confectioner’s sugar. This is the secret to the tender texture and perfect sweetness of these cookies.
Vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
Salt. Only use a pinch or so if using salted butter.
Flour. Optionally, you can sift this before using, making the cookies even more tender and delicate.
Sprinkles. I suggest jimmies or nonpareils, as larger sprinkles can cause these to spread and tend to crystalize as they bake, turning either rock hard or chewy.
How to make brown butter shortbread
1. Cream butter and powdered sugar. You don’t need to beat it for a long time, just make sure it’s well-combined and perfectly smooth.
2. Add vanilla and salt. Reduce salt to a pinch if you used salted butter. Be sure it’s very smooth so that the flour can be mixed in minimally.
3. Stir in flour. Don’t stir fully—leave some streaks of flour to be stirred in during the next step. Technically, you could sift and whisk the salt and flour, but that requires an extra bowl, and I just don’t have the patience for more dishes.
4. Stir in sprinkles. Stir just until blended to avoid color bleeding or creating tough cookies.
5. Bake. You can either press it into a parchment lined 8x8 pan and cut into squares once cooled or roll the dough out onto parchment sprinkled with flour and cut into desired shapes. I used a simple circle mostly for uniformity in taking photos each month of Baby B.
Enjoy!
Tips and FAQ’s for this recipe
What kind of sprinkles are best?
I used rainbow jimmies, but nonpareils would work well, too. Any sprinkles around that size will work. I don’t recommend anything larger than jimmies, as I’ve tried that before and it caused spreading and the sprinkles actually melted and crystalized in the oven, creating both rock hard chunks and chewy bits.
Do I have to use European butter?
Personally, I think it makes a huge difference. It’s creamier and has a very different consistency than sweet cream butter. Since you only have a few ingredients here, you want to make sure each one is of the highest quality. But don’t worry—you can often find it at places like Costco on sale!
What if I don’t have powdered sugar?
You can technically make your own, but I can’t vouch for its efficacy in cookies (it works well in buttercream). Simply place 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a blender and mix until fine—the texture of powdered/confectioner’s/icing sugar. You can of course increase the amount, but this will give you more than you need already.
Do NOT over mix!
These will become tough and lose their flaky tenderness if you mix them too much. I suggest stirring the flour until a little over halfway mixed then add the sprinkles. This way, those get evenly distributed without the color bleeding into the butter (this is why they can’t go in with the flour) but the dough isn’t overly mixed. If you find any unmixed flour, you can pat that into the rest of the dough when you roll it out.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! You can make the dough and refrigerate it (well sealed) for up to three days. If you need to make them further ahead, you can shape them then freeze them. Freeze on a cookie sheet then transfer to a well-sealed container or freezer safe bag once they’re solid. They’ll last in the freezer 2-3 months. Bake straight from the freezer, as directed.
My tools
Here are my must-have tools I use for making these cookies. Affiliate links provided.
Mesh sieve (because sifting is KEY for a perfect shortbread)
Silicone baking mats or parchment paper (for baking and rolling the dough)
Round cookie cutters (if you want the round shape I used)
Sprinkle Shortbread Cookies
- prep time: 5-10 minutes
- bake time: 10-15 minutes (depending on size)
- total time: 25 minutes
servings: 20-30 cookies (depending on size)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted European style butter, room temperature
- 2 cups (272g) flour, spooned and leveled then sifted (you can remove 2 tablespoons from 2 cups of flour for this)
- ¼ teaspoon (2g) finely ground sea salt (omit if using salted butter)
- ¾ cup (98g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (13g) pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (about 150g) rainbow jimmies (can use smaller sprinkles, such as nonpareils, but do not use larger sprinkles)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Set aside. (Optionally, you can just add the flour and salt to the butter once it’s blended).
- In a medium bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer--I couldn't use mine because it does best with larger quantities), whip the butter with a handheld electric mixer on high until creamed, about 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar and mix on high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add vanilla then mix, starting on low then increasing to high to fully incorporate.
- Scrape the bowl then sift in the flour and mix on low until mostly incorporated. Add the sprinkles and stir by hand to both finish incorporating the flour and to evenly mix in the sprinkles.
- Optional: you could chill the dough for 1 hour or overnight at this point, to make rolling easier. Otherwise, form into a disc, sprinkle both sides lightly with flour, then roll out between two pieces of parchment paper.
- Roll to about ¼ inch thick. Cut into circles or desired shape.* Roll the scraps back out and cut again. Once you have just a small amount of scraps, you can shape that into a couple round cookies.
- Bake 10-12 minutes (up to 15 for larger cookies), until the edges just begin to turn golden. Let cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes then remove the cookies to a wire rack until completely cool.
Enjoy! Cookies will last, covered, for 3-5 days. An airtight container will actually cause them to soften after a day, so I prefer keeping these on a plate covered with foil.
*You can also shape them by hand or press into an 8x8 square pan and cut once cooled.
