Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies

No ratings yet

Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies are tender, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies filled with warm spices, baked to a golden brown, and rolled in cinnamon sugar -- twice! Perfect treat for the holiday season or anytime you need a sweet cinnamony treat.

Prep Time20

Cook Time15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 116kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

For Rolling

⅓ cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Instructions

In a large bowl, cream butter and salt on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the powdered sugar until well combined. Add the vanilla and mix 1 more minute.
Sift in the flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix on medium speed until it starts to form together into a soft dough. Gather the dough with your hands and form it into a flat disc. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes up to overnight.
Preheat the oven to 325 and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon for rolling. Remove half of the mixture and place in a separate small bowl; set aside for rolling the baked cookies.
Roll 1 tablespoon portions of cookie dough into balls. Roll each dough ball in cinnamon sugar and place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Discard the cinnamon sugar after all the dough has been rolled.
Bake 15-17 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom. It's a little harder to tell because these are dark-colored cookies. Peek at the bottom, and you'll be able to see.
Cool on pan a couple of minutes until they are cool enough to handle, but still warm. Roll in reserved cinnamon sugar and place on wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Instead of sifting, whisk dry ingredients in a separate bowl before mixing into the wet ingredients.
If the chilled dough is too stiff, let it sit at room temperature 15-30 minutes or until soft enough to scoop.
If you need more cinnamon sugar, the ratio is 4 parts sugar to 1 part cinnamon.

How to Make Cut Out Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies

This dough is also great for rolling and cutting -- it holds its shape beautifully when baked! Roll to about ¼" thickness, cut with 2 ½" cookie cutters, and roll in sugar. Bake 10-12 minutes, cool for a few minutes, then roll in sugar again. Cool. This recipe makes about 24 cut-out cookies.

Nutrition