These all Sugared Shortbread Cookies are the perfect lightly sweetened, tender and buttery cookies to enjoy anytime of the day. The cookies have only 4 ingredients. The dough is combined in 5 minutes with just one bowl.

"This is an absolute family favorite - it doesn't last the night in our house. I love that you can make it anytime because - once you buy the rice flour - you always have everything on hand. It's so good and really so simple." ~ Christin

Recipe review

A quick look at this recipe

Recipe Name: Sugared Shortbread Cookies
Ready In: 10 minutes prep, 45 minutes cook time, 55 minutes total time
Serves: 24 cookies
Calories: 120 per serving
Main Ingredients: All purpose flour, granulated sugar, rice flour, butter
Difficulty: Easy

My recipe for all butter Sugared Shortbread cookies is a feature in an article for The New York Times by Melissa Clark. With over 2600+ 5 star reviews, it is 1 of 3 recipes in her Just One More Cookie! article.

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Why I love rice flour shortbread cookies

I was introduced to these all butter shortbread cookies by a good friend. She can brew a pot of coffee and have a tasty baked good ready at a moment's notice.

After making this recipe dozens of times, I knew I had to submit this rustic, dense and a little bit crumbly cookie recipe to The New York Times. It's one of my favorite cookies. Along with these Oreo Sugar Cookies, I make this recipe on repeat.

This shortbread cookie recipe produces buttery, dense treats are melt-in-your mouth delicious and include rice flour as an ingredient.

I suggest you start a batch of Sugared Shortbread cookies now. That way it will be ready for when that next cookie attack strikes.

Ingredients

There are only 4 ingredients in this shortbread recipe.

all purpose flour
white rice flour
granulated sugar
salted butter

Substitutions

White rice flour adds a singular and slightly grainy texture to the shortbread. The brand I use is Bob's Red Mill White Rice Flour. Brown rice flour can be an alternative with the shortbread having a more golden brown appearance. Cornstarch can also be substituted for the rice flour, resulting in cookies with a softer crumb. Use an equal amount of cornstarch in the shortbread recipe.
If you use unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon of kosher salt along with the other ingredients.

cut pieces of a buttery sweet baked treat

How to make sugared shortbread cookies

Grab a metal 8 x 8 inch baking pan and line the bottom with with parchment paper.
Next add the flour, rice flour and sugar to a bowl and stir in the melted butter. The dough should have a firm consistency. Press the dough evenly into the pan.
Bake until the shortbread is evenly golden brown and slightly pulling away from the sides of the pan.
As soon as the shortbread comes out of the oven, generously sprinkle generously with sugar and immediately cut into cookie sticks.
Cool the shortbread in the pan completely then enjoy.

Personal Chef tips for shortbread Cookies

Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before you bake the cookies. This will ensure they bake evenly and there are not any hot or cold spots in the oven.
Line the baking pan with parchment paper so the shortbread cookies slide out easily.
Firmly and evenly press the cookie dough into the pan. The shortbread cookies will then all be the same thickness.
Make sure to sprinkle the baked shortbread with a generous amount of granulated sugar.
Cut the cookies in the pan as soon as you take it out of the oven. Shortbread is delicate and crumbly by nature. Cutting 1 by 2 inch cookie sticks while they are hot helps prevent the cookies from falling apart.
Let the shortbread cool completely in the pan before removing them.