Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes Holiday Shortbread Cookies 3.3 (341) 14 Reviews By Martha Stewart Editors Martha Stewart Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter Website An article attributed to "Martha Stewart Editors" indicates when several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The Martha Stewart team aims to teach and inspire readers daily with tested-until-perfected recipes, creative DIY projects, and elevated home and entertaining ideas. They are experts in their fields who research, create, and test the best ways to help readers design the life they want. The joy is in the doing. Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 6, 2020 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Prep Time: 10 mins Total Time: 55 mins Yield: 24 What's great about basic buttery shortbread cookies is how you can add flavors to them. Or just leave them as is. Ingredients 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ cup confectioners' sugar 1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) ⅓ cup coarse or sanding sugar (optional), for decorating Directions In a food processor, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt; process until smooth. Add flour and pulse just until combined. Form dough into an 8-inch-long round or square log; wrap tightly in plastic and freeze until firm, 30 minutes (or up to 1 month). Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Cut dough into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Dip edges in sugar if desired and transfer to two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are golden brown around edges, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cookies cool 5 minutes on sheets. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Cook's Notes Give these cookies festive flair. Add 3/4 cup chopped mix-ins, such as dried fruit, nuts, or bittersweet chocolate, along with the flour in step 1. Variations To make these chocolate, use 1/3 cup cocoa powder in place of 1/3 cup flour; add 6 ounces of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate to the dough. Print