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Ceara MilliganUpdated: Nov. 29, 2023
Ina Garten's shortbread recipe is all we want for Christmas this year.
We all know and love Ina Garten, AKA the Barefoot Contessa, whose recipes have been blessed enough to infuse their way into kitchens across the country. From her adoration toward breakfast staples like hash browns and pigs in a blanket to her fancy for strawberry rhubarb crisp and roast chicken, we love pretty much everything Ina has created for us. And now, Ina is making the holidays a little simpler…and a whole lot sweeter!
Ina Garten’s shortbread recipe is taking the world by storm—mainly because it can be adapted into five (and perhaps more!) different cookies. Here’s how to get that Christmas baking done ASAP with the help of Ina Garten.
What’s in Ina Garten’s Shortbread Recipe?
Ina’s shortbread recipe is quite simple. You only need a handful of basic, pantry ingredients that you likely already have on-hand: unsalted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour and salt. This recipe yields quite a few cookies—24 hearts exactly if you opt to use a cookie cutter—and it’s so easy to whip up that you can make batch after batch. This recipe is easily our favorite new tradition!
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Because shortbread is so versatile, you can get pretty creative with your shapes, icing and toppings. Shape your shortbread cookies like Christmas trees, and load them up with royal icing and candy, or keep it simple and dunk a plain, round cookie in your favorite homemade eggnog. The possibilities are endless—but all of them are tasty!
Where to Find Ina’s Shortbread Recipe
While we can’t list all of the ingredients here, wecan point you in the right direction. You can find Ina Garten’s shortbread recipe on her site alongside a delicious (and super simple!) Linzer cookie recipe. You can make that recipe with the same ingredients you use for shortbread, just make sure to include that spare jar of raspberry preserves—or any other preserves you might like in a cookie.
Since these recipes are so easy, they’re perfect for baking with the family. Just be cautious of those little hands swiping the dough! We’ll be baking up a storm this weekend thanks to Ina Garten and her ever-delicious recipes. Thanks, Ina!
Vintage Shortbread Recipes for the Holidays
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ShortbreadI live in Missouri, but many of our family recipes come from New Zealand, where I lived as a youngster. I proudly claim a Down Under heritage! These special-occasion cookies bring back warm and sweet memories of my childhood, and I'm going to make sure they're passed on to the next generation in my family—no matter where they live. —A. Swenson, Camdenton, Missouri
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Taste of Home
Shortbread HeartsThese flaky cookies melt in your mouth. Dipped in chocolate, they look festive.—Barbara Birk, St. George, Utah
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Lemon Shortbread TreesHere's a fun holiday recipe children can help with. And no cookie cutters are needed! I just shape the dough into a triangular log, refrigerate it and cut it into tree-shaped slices to bake and decorate. Broken pretzel sticks form the tree trunks. —Phyllis Schmalz, Kansas City, Kansas
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Glazed Maple Shortbread CookiesWhenever I visit friends in Lutsen, Minnesota, I make sure to buy maple syrup there because I think it's even better than in Quebec. These delicious cookies can be decorated with sprinkles but they're just fine as is.—Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
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Buttery 3-Ingredient Shortbread CookiesWith only a few ingredients, these butter shortbread cookies are so simple to prepare. —Pattie Prescott, Manchester, New Hampshire
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Cranberry Shortbread StarsMy family loves shortbread and I love cranberries, so I decided to put the two together to make cranberry shortbread cookies. The star shape is a festive addition to my holiday cookie tray. —Sonya Labbe, West Hollywood, California
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Scottish ShortbreadMy mother, who is of Scottish heritage, passed this shortbread recipe, along with other favorite recipes, on to me. When I entered this treat at our local fair, it won a red ribbon. —Rose Mabee, Selkirk, Manitoba
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Whipped ShortbreadThese whipped shortbread cookies melt in your mouth. Mostly I make them for the holidays, but I'll also prepare them year-round for wedding showers and afternoon teas. —Jane Ficiur, Bow Island, Alberta
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Homemade Chocolate ShortbreadThis recipe has been in my files for a long time...probably from when I first learned to bake. Any chocolate lover will like these melt-in-your-mouth cookies. I make them year-round with variations. They're even richer with a thin coat of icing or as a sandwich cookie with frosting in the middle. —Sarah Bueckert, Austin, Manitoba
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Shortbread CutoutsI found this recipe in a magazine over 30 years ago and have made these shortbread cutout cookies for Christmas ever since. They're an oh-so-simple recipe to whip up during the hectic holidays. —Jean Henderson, Montgomery, Texas
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Light and buttery, these delicate shortbread cookies are melt-in-your-mouth good. The coconut flavor makes them extra special. —Roberta Otto, Duluth, Minnesota
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Taste of Home
Carrot Cake ShortbreadI really love carrot cake and wanted to make a cookie that had the same flavors. These comforting cookies are just the ticket! Cinnamon, maple and vanilla make them perfect for the holidays. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
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Taste of Home
Crisp Lemon ShortbreadFresh juice and zest pair up to give my buttery cookies a lemony pop. Sprinkle sugar on top for extra sparkle. —Marcia Whitney, Gainesville, Florida
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Chocolate Shortbread TreesYou can use this rollout chocolate cookie dough to create all kinds of shapes and sizes, but I like to make trees because they are so easy to decorate. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
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Scottish Shortbread CookiesThis simple three-ingredient shortbread cookie recipe makes wonderfully rich, tender cookies. Serve them with fresh berries of the season for a nice, light dessert. You'll get miles of smiles when friends see these at an afternoon tea or a bridal shower. —Marlene Hellickson, Big Bear City, California
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Candy Cane Shortbread BarsI created these bars for my daughter, who loves peppermint. The buttery shortbread texture just melts in your mouth. They're a hit wherever I take them. —Susan Ciuffreda, Huntersville, North Carolina
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Taste of Home
Shortbread SquaresHere's a traditional shortbread recipe that's perfect with a cup of hot tea or coffee. It's a favorite during the holidays. —G. C. Mayhew, Grass Valley, California
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Originally Published: December 18, 2020
Ceara Milligan
Ceara “Kiwi” Milligan is a professional marketing strategist and copywriter who is proud to call Milwaukee home. She loves baking, cooking, writing, listening to music, dancing, playing and hosting trivia, watching college basketball (Go Marquette!), telling lame jokes, and petting every dog that crosses her path.
