These super easy 3 ingredient butter cookies just might be my new favourite cookie to make. For Christmas or not. Why? Cuz they are literally that easy! With only Flour, butter and sugar you have an amazing soft, melt in your mouth cookie!
Not only that but these are so easy to decorate, IF you want to decorate that is!
So are you ready to make the easiest cookie of your life?
(P.S never did I say that these were healthy!)
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How to make 3 ingredient shortbread cookies
Since these really are so easy to make tihs won’t be long at all. These are also the perfect cookies for your aspiring baker to start with!
1.Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
2.Cream together your sugar and butter until creamy. (If you want to add a little flavoring like almond or vanilla extract, do that now)
3.Then add in your flour. Mix until thoroughly combined. You can use your paddle on your mixer for this, BUT you’ll probably have to get in there with your hands to make it stick together.
4.Take 1-1.5 tbsps of dough and roll it into a ball, place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, or a silpat mat.
5.Take a glass and dip the bottom into sugar, then press the cookie ball down to flatten a little.
This is where you can add some sprinkles to the top of the cookie and press them in a little.
6.Bake for 10-12 minutes. You want the bottoms a golden color, and the edges JUST starting to brown. This will ensure that its still soft in the inside. If its hard/crispy throughout the whole cookie, its overbaked.
Can I make these without butter?
You could use lard or shortening, or even margarine as a substitute, but you won’t get the same flavour or results as using real butter.
Flavoring you can add to the cookies
Want to spice up the cookies a little? Add in 1 tsp almond or vanilla extract. (I personally always add almond) or you can add the zest from a lemon or an orange.
Another idea, is to roll the cookie ball in a mixture of cinamon and sugar before flattening.
Does this recipe work for cut out cookies?
No, it doesn’t they won’t hold their shape! I use this recipe for my cut out cookies.
How to decorate the cookies with sprinkles
After you flatten the cookies you can drop in some sprinkles and push them in to the cookies a little, or after baking you can let them cool and frost! (then let the kids decorate with the sprinkles.
Decorating hack: roll the dough into a log. Roll the log into sprinkles. Then get a large piece of saran wrap and wrap the log tightly, and then gently roll to make the sprinkles stick. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Then unwrap and cut into cookies! Bake as directed.
Best frosting to use for these cookies
I like to use the traditional butter frosting with icing sugar when i do icing. Honestly though, I almost never ice because:
A) it takes extra time LOL and
B) my kids eat the cookies with the sprinkles way better, my kids are probably one of the few kids who don’t like frosting.
Frosting recipe:
- 1/3 cup butter softened
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- food coloring
Mix all ingredients together. If its too thick, add a little more milk. Then frost cooled cookies!
Recipe tips:
Cookie scoop: Getting a cookie scoop makes this process go much faster! Especially when you have little hand who want to roll the cookies, having these little scoops ensure that the cookies are all the same size.
Silpat mat: I love, love my silpat mats. Think of it like parchment paper, but on steroids, they work better, plus they are reusable! I bought mine a year ago and they are still going strong. They are non stick, plus the make whatever is on there bake more evenly.
Proper spacing: Make sure you are spacing them out enough! These cookies do spread some so you don’t want them to be to close to each other. (you can buy these silpats that actually have the spacing on them)
Cool properly: Make sure you cool them properly! Let them cool on the cookie sheet 10 min before moving them to a cooling rack and then make sure that they cool on there for another hour before storing them.
How to store baked cookies
You can place them in an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days, or in the fridge for 2 weeks! You can also freeze them for up to 3 months.
How to make sugar cookie dough ahead of time
Make your cookie dough as the recipe directs, then roll the dough into a log and wrap well in saran wrap, and place in a freezer-safe bag. Take out and defrost in the fridge 24 hours before baking. Slice the cookies and bake as directed.
Alternatively, you can also roll the dough into individual balls, and freeze them on a cookie sheet and then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. Then defrost and flatten before baking.
Looking for more easy cookie recipes you can bake?
Ridiculously Simple Fudge Brownies
Simple Shortbread Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
Best ever (EVER!) Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies
Know you need to meal plan but don't have time?
Let me do it for you! Sign up to the meal plan newsletter and I’ll send you the meal plan I use each week to feed my family of 7! FOR FREE!
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Cream together your sugar and butter until creamy. (If you want to add a little flavoring like almond or vanilla extract, do that now). Add in your flour. Mix until thoroughly combined. You can use your paddle on your mixer for this, BUT you’ll probably have to get in there with your hands to make it stick together. Take 1-1.5 tbsps of dough and roll it into a ball, place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, or a silpat mat. Take a glass and dip the bottom into sugar, then press the cookie ball down to flatten a little. This is where you can add some sprinkles to the top of the cookie and press them in a little. Bake for 10-12 minutes. You want the bottoms a golden color, and the edges JUST starting to brown. This will ensure that it's still soft in the inside. If it's hard/crispy throughout the whole cookie, it's overbaked. 
Ingredients
Instructions
