Shortbread Cookies for Valentine’s Day – From My Heart to Yours

Shortbread Cookies for Valentine's Day

Valentines is headed our way!  A cute little holiday in the middle of winter.  Hearts, flowers, pinks, lavender, and reds contrast gray winter days, and who doesn’t like chocolates and sweets.  It’s the perfect time to make shortbread, give shortbread, or give someone a book about shortbread!

Shortbread Cookies Gluten-free Option

Pictured are my classic shortbread recipe made with gluten free flour.  I used Renewal Mill 1:1 Baking Flour.  I’ve used this blend in pancakes, waffles, and muffins with very good results.  What makes Renewal Mill unique is it has okra flour in it which ups the fiber and protein.  Does it taste the same, or provide the same texture?  No, the shortbread dough was denser, more clay-like, which made it easier to roll and cut shapes, and the cooked product has a very soft crumb, not the harder snap of the cookies made with all purpose flour.  But still an excellent shortbread, a great alternative if you’re avoiding gluten or wheat flour.

Want More Shortbread Cookie Options? Try My Book!

For those who haven’t purchased my book Shortbread: My Favorite Cookie, I’ve provided the base recipe here. Give it a try, then purchase my book if you want lots of great variations!

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Recipe: Basic Shortbread Cookies

shortbread cookies for Valentine's Day

This recipe is great on it’s own, or a fantastic jumping off point for shortbread cookie variations. If you like this recipe, then please consider purchasing my book, Shortbread: My Favorite Cookie. You’ll find lots of delicious recipes.

  • Author: Dorothy Calimeris
  • Prep Time: 2.5 hours
  • Cook Time: 16
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 14 cookies 1x
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Classic Dessert

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 oz butter, room temperature

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour (or gluten free flour)

pinch salt

Instructions

In a medium bowl combine the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, flour, and salt and mix until it forms a soft dough (I use my hands, but a mixer with a flat paddle works too).

Remove from the bowl and shape into a log about 1-1/2″-2″ in diameter and wrap on waxed paper and refrigerate for about 2 hours so that it’s firm when you slice it.

Cut into 1/3″ slices and place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350F oven until golden around the edges, about 16 minutes.

Notes

If you’d like to cut shapes out of the dough, place some sugar on a work surface.  Skip the rolling in a log step, turn the dough out onto the sugared board.  Flatten with your hands, lightly flour them if the dough sticks.  Use a rolling pin (floured if necessary) and roll 1/4″ thick.  Use cookie cutters to create desired shapes.  Carefully invert the cookies onto the lined sheet pan so that the sugared side is up.  Bake as recommended above. Cool the cookies completely before storing in airtight containers.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 107
  • Sugar: 4.2g
  • Sodium: 47mg
  • Fat: 6.7g
  • Saturated Fat: 4.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 11.1g
  • Fiber: 0.2g
  • Protein: 1g
  • Cholesterol: 17mg

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